


Twists and Turns

by Okami01



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Angst, Blood and Violence, Dark Sylvain Jose Gautier, Espionage, F/F, F/M, Gangs, Heist, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Interrogation, M/M, Mental Anguish, Mentioned Glenn Fraldarius, Mentioned Holst Goneril, Mercenaries, Minor Annette Fantine Dominic/Mercedes von Martritz, Minor Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Dedue Molinaro, Minor Glenn Fraldarius/Holst Goneril, Multi, Organized Crime, Protective Sylvain Jose Gautier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:22:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 29,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28862490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okami01/pseuds/Okami01
Summary: Blue Lions Mafia forced to fight and steal from TWSitD. They'll need help to do it.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Sylvain Jose Gautier/Claude von Riegan, Sylvain Jose Gautier/Hilda Valentine Goneril
Kudos: 9
Collections: The Three Houses AU Bang





	1. Knife Points

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Happy Fire Emblem Three Houses Big Bang AU posting date (:
> 
> Thank you to @Zaheelee who I partners with and illustrated fantastic art! Everyone should follow her Twitter!  
> Thank you to @possiblevoid betaing!
> 
> And thanks to all the cool bb mods who organized this
> 
> There is a spotify playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6O7C9GnylnRDYlYDZe76zo?si=3rnw81VFSIuroCBbGEYdUA  
> ( It's mostly music from the anime Lupin III)

The world is filled with both beauty and horror, Sylvain was far too aware of this. When you looked at the city of Arianrhod from far away, it was sleepy and mysterious. Cold and sort of dark even in the daytime. If you knew better, you wouldn't look any closer, avoid the danger that lurked just beyond the surface. 

Sylvain knew better and he looked anyway. If he didn't go out and find trouble- which he did often- it came to find him. 

Usually in the name of Dimitri Blaiddyd. Who had been such an oddly straight laced teenager. How he grew into the leader of a dangerous and oftentimes troublesome mob was a long and depressing story that didn't go well with the coffee Sylvain was trying to drink. 

After the bombing of the people of Duscur that ended with a few local politicians assassinated but still mostly at large. Dimitri's mother and father were among those killed. Dimitri had been thought to be dead by some. His life and Dedue's upturned, along with so many others. It was no wonder Dimitri was bitter.

Bitter and different from how he was before. Though sometimes rather uncharacteristically dorky for someone who roused fear and terror in the world. 

Dimitri liked to sew and cook sometimes if he's following a recipe. He liked jokes and puns. Sometimes he could be earnest, almost oblivious. He was different from when he was a teenager. Then again, they all were.

He broke things, clumsily and oftentimes by accident. Which seemed a lot like everything about Dimitri. Sometimes trying to break things on purpose but most times caught up in accidents and tragedy. 

Sometimes, when they fought, after a long and gruesome fight it seemed like he was happy that they survived. Or at least Sylvain liked to think so. Like when they were kids and they spent time acting out silly knight related stories. 

  
  


Felix called him a boar sometimes. After his brother's death, who was also Ingrid's fiance, they joined Dimitri's gang that quickly turned into a mob. Revenge was a powerful thing.

Which led to bloodshed. Another constant in Sylvain's life.

As was trouble. 

If Sylvain could get a couple peaceful moments to himself before he had to start carrying out his more unpleasant duties for the day, he'd be fine.

He loved his friends. Which lead to some extremely unpleasant things needing to be done in their name. Sylvain had been dealing with unpleasant things from a young age due to his father and brother. Both who unfortunately made it out of the tragedy unscaved. 

Dimitri's parents were good people. They died rather young so who knows for sure. There wasn't doubt that Sylvain's father was a womanizing abusive bastard. It was no wonder that Miklan had turned out that well as well. Their father's deeds were mostly covered up by the news outlets he bribed. Miklan never had any problems breaking Sylvain's bones or worse.

Sylvain isn't eager to nearly drown in the Gautier pond again so if there are a few cities between him and his folks it's for the better. 

  
  
  


It was fine. It is fine. 

Sylvain was used to trouble. 

Trouble was used to him. 

Felix stormed into Sylvain's office; Sylvain barely flinched. Such was the life of a man just trying to read his newspaper and drink his coffee. 

Felix was panting. Still is The telltale sound of him throwing his jacket on Sylvain's nice clean floor. 

" Good morning to you too, Felix." Sylvain sighs dramatically. " I have a coat rack you know. A coat closet. I even have a bed you can throw it on if you want to get dangerous."

They've had this conversation before but if Felix's chaotic habits don't leak out in random unfavorable housekeeping methods then Sylvain supposes he wouldn't be the best friend he knows and loves. 

Sylvain folds his newspaper and looks up, smiling anyway. 

His smile drops at what he sees. Something is wrong. 

" Don't you check your phone? They're gone."

  
  
  


Felix's voice sounds pained. He's not even trying to hide it, which he usually does instead of going to see Mercedes, their private doctor, like a normal person. 

" Who is gone?"

  
  


He's clutching his side. The black snow covered jacket on the ground. His boots are soaked too. There is a faint ruddy color. Blood. Sylvain is very familiar with that. From the way he's clutching his shoulder, some of it must be his. 

Felix, unlike Dimitri at times, always cleans up after he finishes his more unsavory duties. Felix's mess of a ponytail is loose and haphazard. He's sweating and panting. His cheeks are beat red, presumably from cold and exhaustion both. 

  
  


Felix throws his knife down on the floor. It's covered in blood. It clangs against Sylvain's wood and startles them both. 

This is clearly serious. 

Sylvain jumps up and tries to help sit down on a chair. 

Now the coffee tastes bitter on his lips.

Felix sort of elbows him in the side. 

" Dimitri and Dedue."

That's odd. No ' boar,' or ' That fool' or anything else. 

If this were a normal situation. Sylvain would say, oh Dimitri again huh. Or of course they're gone, they're visiting Enbarr. Felix would grumble some lie about how he doesn't care about Dimitri anyway.

Instead Felix shouts. 

" I don't want to sit. We have to go."

" Felix, slow down," Sylvain pleads. Though knowing him it'll fall on death ears. 

Felix half drags him a step and they both wobble to the side.

" What happened?"

Felix grumbles. As much as Sylvain would like a magical physic connection, he doesn't have it.

" Why didn't you check your phone?" Felix yells.

" I was with a girl," earns him a glare. 

" Fucking fantastic."

" What happened?"

Sylvain reaches into his project, realizes it's on his nightstand. 

Felix shoves his own phone into Sylvain's face. 

" They're gone. That fucking cult took them."

There's a slew of messages. A video that looks like it was sent to Felix from an encrypted number. He sees a still of Dimitri and Dedue on the ground. More blood, more snow

Felix had sent a text two hours ago that said, ' found me too.'

' Ware u'

Normal, unfraziled Felix hates text speak and incomplete sentences. 

Sylvain takes the phone. He keeps reading and starts walking to find his coat and shoes. His guns, the pistol and the automatic rifle, because who knows. 

" We have to go. Now."

Sylvain doesn't ask where. They need to get to Mercedes and Annette's. 

Sylvain drives. Felix talks in angry sentences.

Somehow, he gets Felix to tell him exactly what happened, either due to lack of blood lost or trust or both. 

__

It's freezing outside, early morning, falling snow in Arianrhod. Even with his leather boots and coat, the cold seeps through. Felix is used to it. He enjoys it, makes him feel alive. So he runs through the streets.

  
  


He wouldn't wear a coat, if not for Annette. Her sad words about him not taking care of himself. All his friends were like that. Mercedes offered to knit him a sweater. He didn't need a sweater. _They are in a gang, they kill people_ , he'd say time and time again. And she would only smile. 

He wasn't going to get any stronger drinking hot chocolate and wearing scarves. The gloves helped when he handled his weapons, which was often; Though with any hope not for a few hours. A few hours of running away from work. From his responsibilities, the old and the new.

Away from Dimitri. 

Felix likes to fight, it's what he's good at. He doesn't like to kill but he's good at that too. All the better to protect the few people he cares about. 

Dimitri, begrudgly included, boar that he is. Because their goals align. Felix would like to see the people responsible for his brother's death killed. Though it won't bring him back. 

Though Dimitri is more unhinged, blood thirsty. The boy who died with his father that day, replaced by the revenge hungry man that he now was. 

But Felix had gone on his run to avoid such thoughts. 

Most people weren't out at times like these, which was what Felix liked. 

He rounded a corner, heeding the snow and ice in some places. 

Watching the dark tall buildings and buzzing lights blur past him. 

Sylvain always told him that he didn't know how to relax. All he did was train. Which Felix would tell him that it was his fault because he never trained. And Sylvain would say that he'd just have to train for the both of them.. Sylvain's galavanting around in his free time wasn't helping anyone. Felix supposes that he'd rather see Sylvain happy. Though he doesn't want to see him dead either. 

  
  


Even while technically not working, Felix doesn't let down his guard. He doesn't think himself paranoid, especially when he sees someone not milling about the city. Someone is decidedly watching him. 

Dimitri, he thinks, perhaps back from his business early. No such luck, only in the sense that Dimitri being back home means less work. Dedue gets a lot of work done as well.

  
  


His phone buzzes. At first Felix thinks to ignore it. But he'd better see if something is wrong.

He slows slightly and looks at the screen. Barely believes what he sees. Dimitri and Dedue blooded and being shoved into a black car. Those unmistakable plague masks. TWSitD.

  
  
  


No, someone is definitely watching him. Not in the usual sense that people sometimes watch Felix. Those people look like they're thinking something like this man is crazy for being up so early working out. Or, why would anyone want to voluntarily run through the cold early morning air. 

What's happening now is different. It's malicious. Felix has seen enough people trying to kill him to know the difference. 

Felix draws one of his knives. Dares himself to turn around. He curses under his breath, a little cold forms, hot from running and anger. 

It's TWSitD. They hurt Dimitri, they hurt Dedue and now they're coming for him too. Felix's hand shakes, his teeth chatter. He shoves his phone back into his coat. 

Felix thinks, maybe he can outrun them. He doesn't know how many there are but he's sure he can. 

But he's angry. Gritting his teeth and struggling to control his breathing. Trying to keep it under control. And he won't die running with a knife in his back or any other nonsense. 

Dimitri will be fine, or he won't. After all, he'd already died. Felix wasn't going to fall apart now. His death wouldn't make Glenn come back to life and it wouldn't bring Dimitri back. 

There wasn't any time for that. Thinking that way won't get him anywhere.

  
  
  


Just like all the other times, it's an easy decision. He's going to fight.

He's been moving slowly for a time. Trying to stop himself from thinking about Dimitri and the past. All the grief that comes along with those thoughts. Of potentially having to kill people again.

The enemy has advanced. Felix isn't sure if he's surrounded. Only that he feels their presence. Black robes sticking out like a sore thumb. Like a bunch of rats. 

Felix will kill them. 

He speeds up again and they must take it as an invitation of him trying to flee. If it wasn't clear enough that they were trying to target him before, it is now. He counts 6 steps of footsteps. 

They can't very well think they can try to hunt him in his own territory. 

Felix turns around and moves to the side at the sound of gun fire. His electricity crackles at his fingertips. It surges forward and he hears screams and scurrying back into the alleyway. They'll run out of ammo before he runs out of knives. 

  
  


He knows this city well, yet another reason why they won't beat him. There's a good place to hide in the alleyway ahead. 

Sure enough, one of the grunts comes lunging forward with a bat. 

Felix twists out the way and slams his knife into his side. 

More of them advance on him, their immediate plans dashed in the cold. Felix runs again, this time into their numbers. Kicking and slashing into their ranks. 

He knows that they aren't above friendly fire. They're like a mob that doesn't value their lives. It disgusts him. He drives his hilt of his knife into someone's face, ducks behind another to avoid gun fire. 

Bullets graze him, someone slashes his side. Regular and dark magic crackle in the air. Felix likes his coat. He likes his running pants and now they're nicked and scratched. With the amount of people attacking him, despite their lack of skills, clothing is the least of his concerns. 

Felix thinks, hovering over the body of a dead grunt, eyes flickering to one about to fire an electric attack. Dodging and parrying knife strikes. He should ask where Dimitri is. Nowhere good, probably. They'd said they'd captured them. For what purpose? 

Most who wanted anything to do with Dimitri these days wanted anything good

Felix didn't want to picture whatever horrible things were happening to them but he did anyway. 

That earned him a shallow cut to the arm. One of the grunts tried to knock his knife from his hand and Felix sent his knee up to his stomach. Jabbed his knife down rather violently. 

Dimitri knew what he'd gotten him to. So did Dedue. And that blind loyalty got on his nerves at times but at least Dimitri wasn't alone. Which was probably worse. The two of them probably distracted trying to help each other. Fools. 

No one should owe anyone their life. 

The murder of Dimitri's family shouldn't have happened. Nor should the execution Dedue's. There have always been people who dislike people from Duscur. Felix doesn't understand writing off a whole group of people off like that. It's ridiculous. 

It's also ridiculous to devote your life to someone who may have saved your own. It doesn't matter if you wouldn't be alive if not for them or if you actually like each other. At the end of the day, you need to live for yourself.

Something that Felix doesn't think Dedue or Dimitri do. Dimitri is hellbent on revenge and Dedue does whatever he tells him too. 

There just isn't any sense to that. 

  
  
  
  


He heard a woman's voice. " Figures it's difficult to kill a Fraldarius."

Of course it is, Fleix thinks automatically. 

  
  


Then looks around. Sidestepping away from a grunt and stabbing in their general direction. He will not allow himself to be distracted again. 

A red headed woman stands there, materialized suddenly and in clothes that surely mean she's not from around here. A cold looking black.and red dress thing.

Felix grimaces. Whenever anyone brings up his lineage it can't mean anything good. 

His teeth clinch. The hold on his knife a grounding point. Are more grunts coming or is that the blood pounding in his ears? They could very well be coming after Sylvain or Ingrid or any of the Lions as well. 

Felix fights until everyone's either dead or close enough to it and he wobbles to the side. His body is tired even if he doesn't want it to be.

The persistent orange haired woman smiles as if she'd been waiting for him to finish. 

" I'm glad. We don't want you dead. Not this early." She cackles. Felix can tell she's trying to bait him into something. He isn't sure what, only that he stands and waits, his electricity at the ready once again. 

The woman looks scared for a moment. Felix hears something about not sending this many there without authorization. Then she disappears. 

  
  


Felix doesn't know how but he does know that he'd like to disappear like she did. 

He can hear more people coming and everyone isn't going to stay down forever if they can get back up. 

Felix whips his phone back out. He calls Sylvain. Probably still asleep. He texts. Gets no response. Realizes that Sylvain is pretty close by.

When he looks back behind him, everyone is gone. 

Felix doesn't have the time or energy to question it. He starts running again. From a need to exercise to the survival of the other Lions. Pain shoots through his leg, arm and side. He's moving irritatingly slower. 

Tears fall from his face that are clearly from the cold. And he keeps going. 

There's still a lot of fighting that needs to be done. So none of the pain matters.

  
  


* * *

Sylvain and Felix spend half the ride talking about what happened and the other calling everyone to make sure they're ok. 

The streets winding around from Sylvain's house to Mercedes's bakery are familiar even in panic. Sylvain takes a few breaths of cold air to steady himself. He can't panic. Not with Felix looking like he's about to jump out of the car and murder someone.

" We'll get them back," Sylvain promises before he can think better of it. And Felix must be upset because he doesn't even call Sylvain out on a promise he may or may not be able to keep. Dimitri and Dedue could be dead. 

Sylvain's hand shakes against the wheel.

He exhales. If Dimitri and Dedue are alive. They'll bring them home. 

An angry ugly thought enters his mind. If they aren't, they'll get revenge. 

* * *

  
  


Those same ugly thoughts persist through their impromptu meeting.

It's late afternoon. The sun has started to shine. If you didn't look too carefully at the goings on it could seem like an early brunch between friends. 

Mercedes did run an honest to goodness bakery. The sights and smell of the pastries were distractingly delicious. Sheet trays of brownies and cinnamon rolls around on a daily basis. Breads, sliced meats and stews. Mercedes was always mixing, cooking or baking something up. The other Lions helped to varying degrees. 

On a good day, Sylvain would come here before work and get some pastries. She made whatever weird, almost sugarless and sometimes spiked with protein powder pastries that Felix liked. With the amount that Annette ate, it was a wonder that she didn't put the whole operation out of business. 

Dimitri's mob side business.

They all sat at a table in the back. Mercedes's cinnamon buns smelled heavenly, even in times like these. Not that Sylvain particularly has an appetite 

As much as his stomach turns, he'll need energy for what's to come. 

As many times as Felix has come back injured, it still bothers Sylvain when he sees him like this. 

It's impractical, worrying about his friends injuries, the feeling persists nevertheless. 

Ingrid is a little scuffed up too. Ashe and Annette seem alright physically, they're definitely upset mentally. Annette sits half curled up in a ball. Ashe is rubbing over the calluses that have formed where he holds his gun. He's biting his lower lip in a way that threatens to draw blood. 

Mercedes looks downright downcast. 

It feels wrong without Dimitri and Dedue there.

" So what exactly happened?"" Mercedes says. Her voice is twinges with sadness. 

" Does no one around here look at their phones," Felix snaps.

He slams his phone down. 

" I was jogging, they sent us all the video. And those cultists attacked me. I killed some of them." That's the understated abridged version. 

The video plays and Sylvain feels himself physically shake for a second time.

* * *

Dimitri's car is driving on the road. It looks almost normal. No sound, nothing out of place. Dimitri sitting in the driver's seat and Dedue in the passenger seat. It looks like it'll be okay.

Felix told Sylvain about the video, showed him bits and pieces of it already. With the same upset look he'd had then. Practically shaking, eyes focused and slightly wet, mouth twisted in a frown. His hand frozen over one of the knives in his pocket.

Dimitri and Dedue have been through things like this before. Nothing quite this bad. Nothing that ended in a kidnapping. 

  
  


Still, somehow, Sylvain hoped by watching again, there would be a different outcome. 

It doesn't end any differently. 

Dimitri and Dedue are driving down the road. Suddenly the road is engulfed in flames in a short burst. Some sort of fire spell perhaps. 

The car is tipped over on the pavement. Dimitri and Dedue scramble outside. Being the ridiculously sturdy people they are it's no wonder. 

Gunfire hits up against the car and they duck back in. Dimitri says something that can't be heard. One of those cloaked Weirdos says something that can't be heard either. They get close to the car for whatever reason. Dimitri climbs out of the car. Dedue follows after him.

The TWSitD man gets closer. Says something again. In a flash, Dimitri pulls a knife out from his ratty cloak and stabs him in the gut. The man winces. Yells. Dimitri smiles cruelty. His eye glints eerily in the firelight. 

The man's blood spills out onto the ground. He crumples over. 

Dimitri and Dedue are on the move again. Cutting down cult lackeys left and right. 

The purple haze of dark magic whirls around the fighting. Bloodied bodies were strewn all over the ground. 

Dimitri and Dedue both get cut and hit themselves.

Dedue grimaces. Shot by someone. Dimitri turns. Which is where it all went wrong. Or maybe it'd gone wrong long before that. Something cuts him as well. He growls. Lunges forward. Someone hits him with a dark magic spell from behind.

Another grunt pulls a bag over Dimitri's head. Someone else shoved Dedue down to the ground. Drags them both into the dark TWSitD car. 

  
  


The video feed cuts out. 

* * *

" That looked awful, " Annette sobs.

Everyone looks around with mixtures of sorrow and anger. Time passes. Sylvain tries to get himself to think of something. There has to be something they can do. 

He stares at Felix's phone. 

  
  
  
  


Mercedes says, the first to break the silence. 

They must still be alive. At least they were in the video."

Annette nods faintly like she's too afraid to say anything else. 

" Or they could be fucking with us."

It's harsh but it could very well be true. Those Who Slither in the Dark isn't even a name that inspires trust. They've always hated the Blue Lions. Conducted business to far into their territory. To just blatantly kidnap the leader of a mob, they must be prepared in some way.

This wasn't random. 

" That's true, " Sylvain agrees. Because seeing Felix seething makes him feel the need to say something. 

  
  


Ingrid takes a deep breath. A couple of them 

" We… we should try to confirm their information. Perhaps scouting out their base." Ingrid offers. 

Felix stands up. " I'll go." 

_Like hell you will_ , Sylvain stops himself from saying. 

" Fe," he pleads instead. " We should think about this for more than five seconds."

  
  


Felix shakes his head. " If those idiots could take care of themselves- I don't need to think about it. That's what they want us to do. Waste time. If the Boar is alive, he won't be for long if he does something else stupid."

" Neither will you," Ingrid says. Which is exactly what Sylvain is thinking but he didn't want to say it. 

" I don't care." Felix says. 

Even though Sylvain is sure that he does because, like the rest of them, he's not too keen on dying. 

Ingrid stands. " I'm going with you."

Which prompts Ashe to stand up too. " Me too."

Like a chain reaction of reckless bravery in motion. 

And go where, go scout or go storm the base by yourselves And get killed together. 

Ingrid and Felix argue back and forth. He doesn't want her to go, or Ashe. They insist. Saying that it's dangerous and he can't go alone. 

  
  


Sylvain understands of course. He's not above risking his life to protect his friends. He knows how everyone feels about Dimitri. How Felix pretends not to feel about him.

If Dedue were here, he could talk some sense into Ashe and by proxy Ingrid. If Dedue and Dimitri were here then Felix wouldn't be acting like this. Well he'd be prickly but not about to go and take on Twisted with his knives and anger. 

Annette is too upset to get Felix to listen. The last thing he needs is her crying on top of everything. 

Sylvain's heart twists in knots with dread. Something needs to be done and fast.

  
  


" Y-you saw them out there. They could hurt you too. " Annette mutters.

Felix doesn't look at her. " I'll hurt them first."

" They want us to get upset and make rash deceptions. I don't think Dimitri would want us to walk into a trap. " Mercedes adds.

" We don't know what Dimitri wants on a good day and now he might be dead," Felix snaps. He clutches onto the now blood rag Mercedes gave him that it drips on the floor. 

" Well I'd like us all to stay alive, " Sylvain says before really thinking. As if it matters what he wants. But if the odds are against them, even if the whole world wants them dead and their friends have been stolen in a bloody mess, Sylvain is going to do everything he can to make things right. As right as anything ever is around here. 

Felix glares at him. Ingrid and Ashe stare solemnly. 

" I have a plan," he says. 

The words have a nice ring to them, even 5jough they're not exactly true yet. 

" Why don't we make sure that TWSitD isn't all up in our territory and find out what's going on. Someone around here has to know. And then… when we get some facts we can go from there we should send a scout… just someone that isn't us?"

  
  


_______

Sylvain gets a bunch of begrudging agreements from everyone. That's reassuring. In the way that it really isn't. Everyone is sad, and rightfully so. But it is still depressing to witness group morale this low. 

In truth, Sylvain doesn't like to be in charge. He doesn't particularly like leading anyone. Coming up with strategies is fine, if it's in a low pressure setting. Chess, video games, whenever Dimitri gives him a job that probably won't result in all of their deaths. He's alright gambling with his own life. This is different.

" They knew they could do this to us… because it's not like we can go to the police." She looks sad again. Resigned. Though she keeps it out of her voice. " We already lost Glenn," she says. Felix stops pacing to glare at her.and resumes his walk back and forth. 

" Sometimes I wonder if the path we chose was the right one." Ashe sighs. " It's too late for thoughts like that."

Ashe is melancholy too of course. They all miss Dedue but he and Ashe were sort of dating.

Neither of them are hiding it. Sylvain isn't exactly sure Ashe would be able to anyway. It's never been some over the top thing. Fond lingering looks and touches when they do anything together. The Blue Lions mafia wasn't exactly the place you'd think you'd find true love. But one day years ago, after a particularly long job, they'd started hugging then kissing. 

Sylvain was happy for them, is happy for them. Even if Ashe looks depressed now. 

They'll get Dedue back. Then he and Ashe can go back to gardening in the unholy cold Arianrhod weather. 

Annette stares out the window. Mercedes is rubbing her back and Sylvain is pretty sure she's praying. The two of them have something going on too. At first Sylvain thought it was some sort of shared platonic baking bond. It seems like it's something more romantic these days.

Sylvain's never been one to believe in the goddess, though he's sure there is a hell. Hopefully a heaven too. Hopefully that is where Glenn is. 

" No one is going to help us. It makes us look weak. That the boar would get scooped off the street like a flea ridden stray."

  
  


" Complaining isn't going to make things better," Ingrid says.

" Neither is bringing up the dead."

  
  


They glare at each other from across the room.

" Fighting amongst ourselves isn't helping matters either," Mercedes says calmly.

Sylvain nods. " Anyway let's just try to figure out what's going on."

____

That follows a series of phone calls to their people around the city. 

There were a couple of fights with TWSitD. With the Black Eagles, near the border of the city that leads into Edelgard's territory. 

Relatively speaking, things are calm; Minor scuffles here and there. The Seiros Police nipping at their heels. After the falling out Dimitri had with them, they shouldn't expect any help. 

Then there's the kidnapping. Sylvain replays the events over and over in his mind. They need to get to the bottom of this, and quickly at that. It's never been a comfortable feeling trying to deal with people when you don't know what their motives are. Everyone wants something, no matter how twisted it is. Or how warped they have to be in order to gain it. 

Thinking about his father at a time like this isn't going to help matters. 

Sylvain takes a breath and he starts to deal with things methodically.

They send some reinforcements to the border, safe houses and other places that TWSitD might attack. He's pretty sure this is more.serious than a plan to start a turf war. If they want the Blue Lions to crumble, they'll have to try harder than that. 

It's a risky move, no doubt Dimitri and Dedue killed some of their grunts. TWSitD isn't known for its consideration of its members. But a lack of compassion doesn't mean they want to lose soldiers. Expendable as they might think them, it's still a blow to lose so many people. On Dimitri and Dedue's abduction they must be hoping to gain something important. 

Thinking about people as expendable annoys Sylvain. He tries not to be

  
  


___

Felix twirls one of his knives around. He's sat back down but is still very agitated. 

Ingrid and Ashe are looking over security footage. 

Sylvain channels his anger into a small fire spell. He takes a cigarette from his pocket and takes a drag. Mercedes doesn't like smoking in her store but when he tries to leave she just shakes her head no and he's not going to argue with her. 

  
  


He doesn't know who knows and who doesn't know that Dimitri and Dedue are temporarily out of the picture. Every random minor gang in the city could be getting the idea to strike now. 

There hasn't been any activity. Sylvain sent out scouts to monitor them.

He doesn't want to leave his friends. But the slowly forming haphazard plan in his mind isn't going to go anywhere unless he does a couple things. Things that can only be accomplished by going back out. 

Sylvain can practically feel the dread in his bones. He's used to it now but he still doesn't like it.

" Well I better-'

He never gets the finish his sentence. There's gunfire. His phone, tucked in his pocket so he won't miss anything. 

One of his scouts yells in his ear that they're under attack. Though it's pretty hard to miss. 

" Let's go, then," he replies. A smile that turns into a grimace when he realizes no one's watching. 

____

The grunts pushed them pretty far back. 

Felix jumps out of his chair and runs out the door. 

  
  


____

Sylvain doesn't know what part of "we're being attacked." Or gun fire nearby prompts Felix and Ingrid to immediately run towards the fight, only that it does.

One of his grunts yells that they slipped in past their defenses. 

Dark magic. If Sylvain wasn't openly grimacing before he is now.

They've fought countless people before. Watching his friends throw themselves into the fight never gets easier. 

He crushes his cigarette under his heel and keeps moving. 

If it weren't for his anger and general fire magic affinity, the cold air would be more than a nuisance. 

Sylvain shoves an earpiece in his ear and keeps going, watching for any enemy movement. 

There's a parking lot, cars are covered with newly fallen snow. Up ahead, he sees a grunt from one of the gangs. One of the minor ones it seems. It's not TWSitD. Not the blacks and dark purples or the creepy plague masks some of them wear. Or the more subtle tattoos in the ancient script Sylvain can't decipher. 

He twirls his gun around in his hand, gets ready to shoot. Takes another breath of frigid air to steady himself. They've done this a thousand times, they can do it again. 

But Dimitri and Dedue have never been kidnapped before. Even when things started falling apart, sometimes worse than this, they were all together. 

He has to get a hold of himself. 

  
  


Before he can really discern the gang sign or shoot for that matter, there is a blur before his eyes. 

Felix springs forward from the cover of one of the cars. He hears the man grunt and try to fight back but Felix is quicker. He jabs one of his knives into his chest, kicks his feet out from under him. 

  
  


Angy Felix is a force to be reckoned with of course. But now Sylvain is sure that this isn't TWSittD. They aren't that weak, usually.

Felix is angry, tired probably but he's quick and frighteningly persise. 

Electrical magic surges around him, before he moves to duck under another car. Fighting with injuries is never a good thing and it doesn't help when he taps into his magical reserves. There isn't much there to begin with. In a tired state, means his reserve depletes even faster. The magic doesn't necessarily become less effective but if you're tired and about to pass out it won't do much good either. 

Still, Felix fights with magic. Lets it crackle in the air at his opponents. 

There aren't that many of them. Sylvain shoots one in the side. They clutch their side and he does feel a sickening satisfaction from wounding them. They shoot back, Sylvain dodges and shoots the grunt again, dead. 

He'd like to get closer, it's hard to aim this far away in the cold. Getting closer means the enemy can shoot him better. At least he's calm. The routine fighting settling him down. Which is weird. That's how he's always been. 

Sylvain gets tired of ducking down and shooting through the parking lot. He aims a fire spell at a truck. A grunt screams, clothes partially on fire. Sylvain shoots with his free hand.

Shooting, fire, the occasional punch when someone somehow veers to close.

The ground is wet from heat. Blood mixes together in what looks like a disgusting slushie. 

  
  


It truly is easy. 

Until it isn't. 

A.van drives into the parking lot, heading straight for Ingrid. 

Seconds before, bashes her batton against a grunts head. Her magic is cold, even from far off in the distance. Her hair is loose and wet. She grits her teeth, blinking and then looking to the side aa to not get blinded. 

Far away where Sylvain or Felix can't do anything about it. 

Ingrid rolls to the side, undaunted. The van is fast, possibly enchanted. It smells like oil and death. There's a loud screeching noise and it swerves to hit Ingrid again. 

She casts an ice spell that makes an icicle form underneath. 

It doesn't stop the vam from coming. It seems faster now, as if fed by the magic. 

Just as suddenly as it all started, the van is screeching, half it's wheels.deflated. sparks foyt on the road. Ashe's arrows skew the thick rubber. 

More arrows breaks the glass with a crash. Through the now cracked glass, the driver sits slumped over. 

It occurs to Sylvain through the dizzying relief and sounds of battle that they should try to take someone alive for questioning. 

  
  
  
  


In the corner of his eye. He catches one of the things running out of the van. About to cast a warp spell or something. Sylvain's fire leaves his body before he can truly think about it. 

  
  


The smell of burning flesh isn't a particularly welcome one. 

He's closer to it now. Still running. Immune to the screams of the grunt and the warmth as he kicks him in the stomach. 

He falls, Sylvain falls with him. Over him. Pinning him to the ground and digging his knee into his stomach. 

The grit in his voice would be cringe worthy if he wasn't so annoyed. 

" Who sent you?"

The thug looks at him. Sylvain glares back. Wearing a brown scarf from some minor gang.

He's shaking. Good. An ugly part of Sylvain thinks. He should be. 

He shakes his head. 

Sylvain sighs and leans forward. He doesn't practically like torturing people, he thinks and it's hard to really commit that to memory now. 

In any case, he pushes his hand over the thugs throat. 

" I will kill you, so you may as well."

  
  


He hears coughing that sounds like the formation of a sentence. He eases up.

" They'll kill me," the thug rasps. 

Sylvain shrugs. Reflextbly. It can't be said that he cares at the mormont. 

" Who, Those Who Slither in the Dark?" Halfway through Sylvain's question, the man's eyes light up in acknowledgement. It's all Sylvain needs. 

Sylvain's eyes glint coldly. He smiles. 

" When you back, before they kill you… You should tell them we're coming for their leader and his man. You should all make your funeral preparations now."

He feels the ground shift under him. The black inky murk of dark magic. 

The man lurches forward like he's trying to get away. He grabs onto Sylvain and starts to yell. Raspy and desperate. .

" We're not- They just paid us a lot and we thought we could take you guys down. I'm not part of their group." The man speaks frantically. 

" I'll give you all the money, if you- if you stop them from taking me. Please. I don't want to go back their I-

And he's gone. The black mess consumes him. Sylvain will never learn that it's taken all the bodies of the thugs who attacked them here today. 

  
  
  


Sylvain wanted to ask more questions. But if TWSitD is that desperate to keep Sylvain from knowing, they must be onto something. If there is any information he can find, anything he can do to win, to get Dimitri and Dedue back and keep everyone safe, he will. 

He pants, his head hung low. Hands warm, raw and numb. The adrenaline from battle starting to wear off. But he smiles. 

  
  
  



	2. Drives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sylvain and the rest of the Blue Lions attempt to make a plan going forward. Some new friends and enemies appear.

Somewhere in the parking lot, at some point, in the pale sun and blood-soaked air, Sylvain got back up. Past the fresh corpses and bullet shells. 

None of those corpses were his friends. Which, after any fight is more of a comfort than anything. Especially this one that's so sudden and tied to Dimitri and Dedue living or dying. 

Ingrid stared off into space, ice cracking around her baton. Felix ties his hair up back into a ponytail. He must have just scraped the blood off of one of his knives and hands and wiped it on his leggings. He looks grim. They all do.   
And no doubt things are about to get even grimmer, looking at it realistically. 

Ashe appears from behind one of the cars, his crossbow in hand, stepping over some broken glass.   
" Is everyone alright?" He asks, sounding a little shaken himself. 

Felix nods. Makes a little grunting sound that could mean either thing without context. But Felix's array of grunts are a language Sylvain's well versed in. 

Sylvain says that he is. Alright, that is. All things considered. He's alive and they've made it through worse. If he's going to keep repeating the same thing in his mind it may as well be that.

He thinks about TWSitD as the others talk.   
As Mercedes says that it's a mess out here. Freezing too.   
And they should really get back inside. The snow is still falling after all.  
Felix grumbles that he doesn't care. He'd shucked off his coat for mobility in the fight perhaps. But he blatantly shivers now.

Ingrid remarks that TWSitD must really want them all dead, and they're willing to sacrifice to make it happen. 

It makes Sylvain even more determined for that not to happen. He's an expert at throwing wrenches in other people's plans. This time especially, he's more than happy to do so. 

" That wasn't TWSitD though," Annette says. She walks over to Ingrid with a bandage in hand. Ingrid doesn't look like she's in any mood to be fussed over but she allows it anyway. 

" No. It wasn't." Sylvain replies  
"They hired them to attack… And I don't think that they had the option to refuse."

" What does that mean?" Asks Mercedes. 

" This is probably more than a fight over turf or a show of power. I think they want something else."

" What?" asks Annette. She's wrapping up one of Ingrid's cuts. 

That's the thing, Sylvain doesn't know. Which makes him wonder why he said anything. 

" Well, I guess them getting beat up and shoved into a van isn't important enough then." Felix snaps.

Them. Like not saying Dimitri and Dedue's names is going to make them any less abducted. 

Sylvain sighs. " Of course not. It's just… something seems off. I'm gonna go-" Felix really glares at that. " -And figure it out."

Sylvain isn't any better than Felix because he hopes that if he keeps it casual no one will freak out. 

" Maybe find some people who will help us." He suggests with stark optimism despite the situation. 

He gets begrudged nods from everyone. It warms his heart amidst the cold snow. Sylvain is touched by the fact that he can just say vaguely cryptic things and his friends trust him enough to carry them out. 

Maybe it's the blood ringing in his ears, but for some reason, it's a shock when Felix shoves his knife back into his hidden sheath and mutters, " I'm coming with you."

It shouldn't shock Sylvain, Felix usually just sort of does whatever. 

That's the thing about Felix, even though he doesn't really know what's going on, and or pretends not to care, Sylvain knows he does. It scares him. He also knows that Felix is afraid.   
That overly harsh demeanor is going to lead to something reckless. 

If he can't storm the base and rescue Dimitri then he'll come with Sylvain. Which is probably for the best because, if they're together, Sylvain can stop him from doing something stupid. If they're having a really good day, maybe Felix can stop Sylvain from doing something stupid. 

" We'll monitor the situation in the city," Ingrid says. " This is the first fight around here but most likely it won't be the last." 

Now that she's calmed down a bit, Ingrid is downright responsible. 

Felix turns like he wants to go with her. 

He pouts and pats one of his hidden knives. A coping mechanism. Before scowling at Sylvain. 

" Where are you going anyway? You can't just go off on your own. What if you- Ugh that's why I'm coming with you. "

Sylvain nods. If this were a different time he might speak to the fact that Felix looks on the verge of tears. That he just stopped mid-sentence and started another without really saying much of anything 

Mercedes stops the both of them. She hands them a warm paper bag each. Part of Sylvain thinks it could be something ghoulish. What good can come of anything handed to you in a paper bag in a parking lot? 

But it's sweet-smelling. A cinnamon bun. 

" You both need to eat something and stay in touch."

"Thank you," Sylvain says with a smile. 

Felix peers into his bag and must have something different because he smiles too. Some protein laced sandwich no doubt. He mutters his thanks and turns back on his heel, looking for Sylvain's car 

" We'll meet back here at midnight." Hopefully. 

____  
Sylvain drives once more through the streets that he knows like the back of his hand. Felix is silent now, all the things that happened to him after his early morning run relayed. It's normal for Felix to be quiet.   
Expected really. 

Sylvain can still tell there's something wrong. Which shouldn't be a surprise considering what's already happened today. 

He twirls a knife back and forth in his hands. Glares out the window. 

" You'll put a hole in the seat if you keep doing that," Sylvain says, glancing at him again in the mirror before looking back on the road. 

Felix really grimaces. Looks at the seat like he's considering cutting a hole in it. Felix is skilled with his knives, careful. But it makes Sylvain nervous anyway. Not that he's a safety nut but spinning knives around in a moving car is a bad idea. 

Probably because he's afraid of losing someone else. They haven't been lost yet.

He reminds himself. Over and over again, trying to keep the cynical thoughts at bay. Which for him is like a dalmatian changing its spots or some other cliche thing.

But he knew Felix was thinking the same. 

" You shouldn't blame yourself you know."

Completely hypocritical of Sylvain giving out that advice. Or maybe he was projecting. 

Felix slumps against the seat, curls up halfway into a ball. 

" I wouldn't have to blame myself if I would have gone with them."

" Felix-"

" It doesn't matter." Felix interrupts. " Talking about it won't change anything. Drive to wherever you're driving to so it can be over." 

"That's a fun way of putting it. Sylvain laughs faintly. Felix is silent. The bad Felix silence, not the good kind. 

It doesn't matter. Felix always says that. Even when it's not the truth. Couldn't be further from it. Though it might just be the Faerghus way to blame yourself for everything, pretend everything is fine, and or numb yourself to your emotions. 

It's been working well enough for Sylvain anyway. Or not but it hasn't been this bad in a while. 

" You'll be able to tell him."

That he's in love with Dimitri? That he wants to be friends again, feels terrible because he might not be able to talk to him ever again. 

Sylvain doesn't say any of that. Because Felix may very well yeet himself out of the car if Sylvain gets too emotional. 

Felix jerks up and glares at Sylvain. 

If Sylvain were trying to mess with Felix, and was not worried about getting stabbed with a knife, about crashing the car, for Felix's sake more than his, he'd stick out his tongue, maybe fake glare back.

" I don't need to tell him anything… besides the fact that he shouldn't have gotten captured by that cult."  
So that talk goes as well as expected. 

____

Sylvain prays to a goddess that he isn't sure he believes in that Claude will answer his text. He could have made a real plan in advance instead of what he's doing now. Instead he's driving around in the snow. 

There's a code that they agreed on when they met. And they'd only met once and there was a fair chance that Claude wouldn't even respond but Sylvain had to do something. 

" Hey are you free 2night (;"

Felix scream reads in his ear out of nowhere. No longer satisfied by angry silence   
"Are you texting a guy? Sylvain, what is wrong with you" 

Normally, Sylvain would say something like, ' oh do you want a list?' Or considering it's Felix he'd already know. 

Considering it's Felix he should probably tell him what his plan is before Felix crashes the car or stabs him or starts crying. None of those things would be fun to deal with. Though Sylvain was hoping to know what the plan was more himself. Like it'll reveal itself in the snow like some sort of Faerghus magic.

" Listen, Felix,"  
Felix glares at him and sort of looks like he's listening. " What?"

He looks around, whether their car is wiretapped or not.  
Actually, he turns up the radio and some weird pop song starts planning. 

Sylvain whispers, " We're going to meet Claude Riegan?"

Felix blinks a couple times, goes from angry and irritated to irritated and confused. "Who?"

" Who?" Sylvain repeats, dumbfounded. " How do you not know who he is?"

" Unless he's going to help us save them then I don't care."

"He is." Sylvain hopes he is. "Don't you remember hearing about the Golden Deer?"

" I don't like deer."

" No, they aren't actual deer. Oh, goddess, Fe don't you pay attention to anything?"

" I don't know why you turned this obnoxious pop song on to whisper about deer."

Sylvain groans. He holds his head in his free hand. He decides to go for the shortest explanation. " The Golden Deer are like mercenaries. Claude is their leader. 

And that's enough apparently to keep Felix from crashing the car. 

" Why are you flirting with him?"

" Okay, when this is all over I'm teaching you how to flirt. Sending a smiley face is not flirting."

Felix looks wholly unconvinced and like he wants to stab him again. 

___

Thankfully. In some sort of Faerghus miracle magic,  
Claude texts him back. 'K, meet for coffee?'

There are things that Sylvain does know. Claude Riegan is the leader of an infamous group of mercenaries that take whatever jobs they feel like and are primarily located in Leicester. That's pretty far away from Faerghus. They're known for doing jobs for Rhea sometimes. And being more peaceful with their methods. Or at least more sneaky than Dimitri is which isn't a high bar.

They've only met once, but they both figured it could be advantageous to keep in touch just in case.  
Looks like they were both right. Hopefully at least. Grimly Sylvain thinks that Claude might have teamed up with TWSitD. That doesn't seem like his style but who knows. Potentially, it might mean more people that Sylvain has to deal with. 

What Sylvain doesn't know, unfortunately, among other things, is how Claude can meet him here when he's not supposed to be anywhere near here. 

He doesn't intend on showing that unease to Felix.   
____

" It's gonna be fine, Fe," Sylvain says as they pull up in the parking lot.

" Stop saying that," Felix mutters. He stares out into the parking lot, looking somehow more annoyed than before. He peeks out the window and snow starts to fall in his hair. He turns around and scrunches his nose. 

"I'm staying here. Be careful out there."

Sylvain smiles, " Of course."

" I'm serious."

" That's a surprise."

Felix rolls his eyes and grumbles curses into the heating system. Sylvain's already hot car will never know peace. 

Sylvain starts to get out of the car for real. If he keeps looking at Felix and saying that everything will be okay, maybe he'll be able to convince the both of them.

Of course, Faerghus and the rest of the world have never made things easy for them before. 

The walk to the coffee shop isn't any more sobering than anything else this far.

And if Sylvain was partially successful before in at least pretending he was calm, he isn't at all when he sees Claude.

He's sitting there at the table, the perfect image of pose and nonchalance, talking to a pretty pink-haired woman. Claude is handsome too and that would be more distracting if Sylvain wasn't wracking his brain trying to put an end to this awful situation. 

The two of them laugh at something that Sylvain can't quite hear. When he gets closer he looks up, his sharp-eyed piercing green expression somewhat dark and calculating before the look disappears altogether and Sylvain wonders if he's imagined it. 

" Hey, fancy meeting you here, Sylvain Gautier." Claude winks he grins. Sylvain smiles back though he's suddenly aware of how annoying it is when people act like everything is alright when it isn't.

Though the other choice of falling to pieces isn't very pleasurable. He thinks he'd always rather have Claude smiling at him but who knows.

Sylvain looks around a bit as he walks. No mask-wearing cultists or pools of blood. 

" Yeah, it's good to see you again."

It's the truth really.

" Likewise, though these aren't the best of circumstances." Claude stares at the pink-haired woman and nods. Her hair is tied back in two close together pigtails. Why not just a ponytail? He's never quite understood women's fashion trends.   
He appreciates them though, especially Hilda's burgundy low cut dress and the bangles on her wrists. 

Claude waves in her direction. " This is Hilda. See, didn't I tell you that it would be good to keep in touch with Sylvain."

Hilda looks him up and down and smiles. " Yeah, it's good. Well, I'd love to stay and chat. Really, I would. Anything's better than having to work out in that cold you guys deal with." She picks up a jacket from the chair and shimmies it on. 

" Anyway, you guys have fun." She bats her lashes and heads for the door.

" She's a Godsend, that one," Claude says. Before he motions to the chair for Sylvain to sit down. 

" Ah and don't worry, they aren't here. Well… I guess they're here somewhere in this city but not in the coffee shop at least.'

It makes sense that Claude would be aware of TWSitD. But it still sets Sylvain on edge. How much does he know and what does he want? Handsome or not, you can't necessarily trust people. That's a mistake people make about Sylvain well enough. 

" Right then that's a relief."   
Sylvain glances over at the dark interior of the building again. The fireplaces and plush chairs to create a more intimate atmosphere. 

" Anyway, what circumstances are you referring to?"

Sylvain is tired. He doesn't feel like dancing around carefully extracting information. But it's better to take a needle to things rather than a hammer sometimes.

A server comes by, intending to get Sylvain to buy something. He does. He's glad he had the foresight to bring his wallet. He plays a game with himself of how much coffee can he drink before he starts shaking. 

Claude takes a sip of his tea and smiles. " I'm sure you know about it better than I do." 

" It's certainly something that you just happened to appear in Faerghus right now. When you guys are from Leicester."

" It's nice that you remember where I'm from."

" It's hard not to remember."

" Mhm, I'd like to say that we dropped by just to say hello but-"

" But?

" With your leader out of commission, it's probably not a good time."

" And what makes you think he is ' out of commission."

" I have eyes."

" I noticed. 

" And…" Claude's eyes flicker in what looks like sorrow. Sylvain doesn't think it's unintentional. Maybe he's only projecting. Though somehow, it seems like there's a practiced element to it.

" Well, I guess you have a right to hide things. But if we're being completely honest… those plague mask people recently tried to make my acquaintance too."

" You were almost killed... and decided to come here."

Claude smiles. " Strength in numbers and what have you. Figured me and your boss could work together. The enemy of your enemy is your friend. You're good too, I think. And it's certainly better than freezing in the cold or getting assassinated."

" Out of those options, it's hard to lose."

Sylvain has a feeling that Claude isn't telling the whole truth. Not that Sylvain has been either. 

He thinks quickly to himself. Ok, maybe it's fine to give him the benefit of the doubt.

" You'd be surprised how many people are out there that might be worse options."

" I've seen some pretty bad people," Sylvain says, still smiling before taking a sip of his coffee. 

"Then again, I guess you have as well. You're a mercenary right?"

"That's what people tend to call us." He thinks Claude is upset by that. Though really, he's not having the easiest time getting a read on him. 

He can't trust him. Not really. But as Claude sort of implied the other options are worse. They definitely are. 

His phone buzzes; he ignores it.

" Because you do jobs for people sometimes."

" True."

"And this is a job that you want?"

" Wouldn't have driven out here if it weren't within the realm of possibility."

" Huh, well how much do you want?"

" Not beating around the bush anymore? If only we could live without money but that's what makes the world go round. Twenty thousand. And that guy out there who looks like he's going to murder us… Is he one of yours?"

Sylvain dares himself to glance outside. With the way that Felix is standing there, he almost thinks it might be better if it were TWSitD. 

" He's one of mine, yeah." Something like that anyway. 

" Good, anyway I guess we can talk shop?"

___

Sylvain gets a text from Felix.

Fe: ' What are you doing?'

Sylvain: 'What r u doing.'

Fe: Sylvain.

Sylvain can feel the anger emanating from the text. Maybe Felix can feel the concern coming from his. 

Sylvain: Why aren't you in the car?

Fe: Who is that pink-haired girl.

Sylvain: She's one of Claude's people. … Why?

Felix: Okay.

____

When does Felix ever just say 'Okay' to anything. That's ominous. Or Sylvain could just be trying to invent reasons why he should be worried. There's enough to be worried about as it is. Felix is fine. Claude is fine. Or apparently he's angry at the situation like Sylvain is. 

But if Claude is angry at TWSitD then it could be a good thing. Murder attempts aside. Being angry at people, from petty grudges to long-held rage, is usually a good motivator to get things done. Sylvain would know a whole lot about that, after all.

______

Felix freezes his ass off in the car. The heat starts to annoy him even more than the cold. 

He texts Sylvain, and he doesn't hear anything back. But when he gets out, he, presumably Claude, and some pink-haired girl are all laughing together like everything is fine. 

So he stands out there, goes back to the car, then back outside. Annoyed everywhere. 

Sylvain can handle himself, Felix thinks. He trusts him. Always has, and it's never gone wrong before. He'll be fine. He has to be.

And half the time, he trusts him in situations where things are already wrong. 

What have they got to lose now?

Felix grimaces and decides to stop thinking about it.

Unsuccessfully.   
The boar could die. The boar will die. They're all going to die at some point. 

Felix would just rather it not be now. Not today or tomorrow or whatever day they decide to risk their lives in order to save the Boar and Dedue. 

Ashe will be heartbroken. They'll all be, except for Felix. 

As far as Felix is concerned, Dimitri died years ago. He died and became a bloodthirsty animal. 

Felix is a fool for following him of course.   
Their goals align, sure. Felix has killed enough, committed enough heinous acts. He too has blood on his hands he'll never wipe off.

Not that it matters anymore. 

He didn't do what he did, watch his friends do awful things for the cheap thrill of it. 

But what's done is done and he's not going to let some cult come in and tear everything apart.

More so than it already is.

He trusts Sylvain but not the stupid sappy platitudes that come out of his mouth. 

He's not in love with Dimitri. He can't be anymore. And even if he were, it doesn't matter right now. 

Even if he is a boar, he doesn't want him to die by that cult's hand.   
What the cult woman said about Fraldarius's dying wasn't good. Maybe she was just saying it to throw Felix off. He isn't one to trust anything out of the mouth of someone trying to kill him.

And yet, someone killed his brother. They'd never found the killer or at least not one that Felix believed was truly guilty. 

Now he has to fight the cult for that reason as well.

And he's just sitting here in this stupid cold car. Turns the heat back up, which does nothing to quell his nerves. He turns it back down. Then the pink-haired girl from before is near the car, talking on a phone and smiling.

___

Felix gets out of the car for the second time. Curses the stupid cold Faerghus air once again. 

The door slams behind him and he does little to curb the angry scowl on his face. 

" Hey, you." He calls. And a second later even Felix realizes that it's sort of creepy. But he's not going to stalk after her through the snow like some cold weirdo.

To suspicious pink-haired girl Hilda's credit, she turns around. He thinks she grabs for a weapon, but she smiles and takes a step forward, and moves her hand away. 

" Oh hi," she calls, way too excited for any situation like this. For any situation at all. 

"You're that Felix guy, huh? One of Dimitri's people?"

Felix shivers, from the cold and definitely not from a sense of his privacy being invaded. 

Dimitri, who despite everything he'd follow, and is of course going to rescue. It wouldn't bode well from the Blue Lions for them to look weak. 

And if Claude and this girl can stand up to them without a second thought then so can he. Unassuming happy go, lucky people, as they appear to be. 

" Yeah. I am."

"Mmm," Hilda looks him up and down for some reason. " I wondered if your glare was like photoshopped or something but it's real."

He doesn't know what to say to that.   
" What do you want?"

" Ah that's cold, we're supposed to work together."

And sure, Sylvain texted him as much but he's easily swayed. 

Felix resists the urge to look down at his phone again. Hilda looks unassuming but looks can be deceiving. 

Working with her can't be that bad. Well, it actually can but fighting with more people is usually better. 

" I asked you what you want. What do you want?" He could have stabbed her. He's not in the mood to talk to anyone, not that he particularly ever is but especially not now.

"Can you drive me somewhere?"

"Why can't you drive yourself?"

" Claude sorta took the car."

"What?"

" He said he needed to do something and he took it."

Felix shoves his hand into his pocket and digs out his phone. 

Sylvain, " Going w Claude. Drive the car back to the bakery when you get the chance."

Felix mutters a slew of curses under his breath, angrily typing how ridiculous it is before he remembers that Hilda is there.

" Fine. Come on. Where do you even want to go anyway?"

" Heh, we're gonna track down some black masked weirdos."

That, Felix, likes the sound of. He slams the door behind him, hopefully, the last he'll have to deal with the saints forsaken cold for the next few minutes. Taps his thigh impatiently for Hilda to come on. Where one of his knives is hidden. 

Even if he doesn't know this girl very well, he'd rather be out tracking TWSitD than waiting in a cold car.

Hilda turns the radio on, she turns the heater up. Felix resists the urge to push her out of the car. 

___  
" Felix is going to kill me," Sylvain says under his breath as he looks at his phone one last time.

Claude looks at him full of mischief and something else more carefully hidden. 

" Not unless someone else does first." He smiles and leans closer to Sylvain and he can't help but wish that they weren't meeting like this. He laughs.  
Almost says as much. It's work to suppress the giddy chuckle that nearly leaves his lips and Claude's hand brushes over his.

It'd be nice if TWSitD hadn't kidnapped his boss and his right-hand man now. 

It'd be nice if Sylvain could remember how to flirt. Not that this is necessarily the time. He wishes it could be. 

What with the light casting a glow on Claude's face and the scent of some foreign tea on his lips.

" Act natural, ok?" Claude says that, all husky whispers. If it weren't for that, Sylvain would swear it was his own thoughts because he really needs to get it together. 

" Yeah," Sylvain replies in a stupid out of breath voice.

" They're here now."

Sylvain nods. " Right, that makes sense."

Claude fake laughs, he must anyway but the sound is music to Sylvain's ears. 

" It's crazy, isn't it? Think we should go after them. They haven't noticed us I think…"

" You think?" Sylvain repeats. Finally starting to get a hold of himself. Tactical thoughts come back to his mind and the haze clears. 

" Like about 60 degrees to your right."

" Let's follow them." It's a good thing Sylvain's gotten exceptionally good at smiling when he's pissed off. Are they looking to attack him and Claude like they did Felix, Dimitri, and Dedue? If so, he'd like nothing more than to chase and attack them before they get the chance to attack him. 

Sylvain is used to making people suffer. On and off the metaphorical business clock. 

Claude makes a pleased humming sound.   
" Follow me to the bathroom in five."

And geez does he wish these were circumstances. And a different meaning.   
Fooling around in the restroom under better circumstances would be fantastic. 

___ 

There isn't any time for fooling around. Sylvain waits five minutes. His gaze falls tortuously back to his watch. Not the restroom where he wants it to be. 

As Claude predicted, the suspicious dark-haired hoodie-wearing TWSitD grunt follows Claude in there.   
Sylvain waits. He doesn't hear anything, which could be a good thing or a bad thing. 

He grits his teeth and pats the spot where one of his guns is, before shifting out of his seat towards the restroom himself.   
No need to cause these random people who braved the cold to come to this cafe any unnecessary worry. If the worry does become necessary then they'll know.

Either no one is in the restroom when Claude came in, they were mistaken and it's not TWSitD or the grunt had a change of heart and was also swayed by Claude's borderline suspicious charm.

Sylvain walks into the restroom. Opens the door, prepares for the worst, one hand around his semi-automatic.

There's blood on the wall. Cracked glass on the floor. The water is running. Gushing over onto the floor. In the sink, slouched over with a gun pointed to his head, is the TWSitD grunt.

Claude's eyes flicker towards the door and are back on the grunt in a flash. There's that dark thing in his eyes again. 

" Move and I'll shoot you," Claude says, leaning forward slightly. 

Sylvain doesn't doubt it. 

Claude moves a little more, kicks the grunts feet out from under him and lands gracefully on top of him. As gracefully as someone can do anything in a public restroom. He pins his hands to the wall, still holding his gun and looking deadly serious. 

" Hand me your coat," he says. Sylvain realizes he's saying it to him after what feels like a decade.

" Actually… I need you to tie up his arms."

He shrugs his coat off and steps forward, looking back towards the door one last time, it doesn't lock but at least he doesn't hear anyone. 

Sylvain realizes that, once again, he needs to get it together. 

Claude's impressive, he almost says as much, as inappropriate a place as it would be. Instead, Sylvain steps forward and ties the man's arms without issue. . 

Claude pulls something out of his pocket and shoves it in the grunt's mouth. 

His eyes flicker to the door again, that darkness is back. The one Sylvain is starting to think that he could drown in. The sharp, inquisitive, bold, and calculating facet of Claude's eyes. Once again, this is hardly the time or the place. 

" We have to get him out of here."

" Yeah…" Then, because that's practically all he's been able to say all night he chokes out, "the window?"

Claude nods. They move out of the room silently. It's a small thing but Claude hoists himself out of it nimbly. 

Sylvain hoists the grunt and then himself out less gracefully. He feels lucky that they're on one floor. 

Claude digs around in his pocket and this time. It's a set of keys.   
___

" I tried this before but none of you seemed very excited to talk," Claude says. Almost conversationally in the car. He drives through the city without hesitation. A strange and almost jovial calmness from somewhere not around here.

" I figure that if you're gonna keep trying to kidnap us. We may as well kidnap one of you. And maybe… we'll be able to come to an understanding."

There is something extremely surreal about riding through the snow in Claude's black sports car listening to him talk in soothing tones about poisoning someone. 

" If we can come to an understanding I suppose I could make you come to one. But you know, we really need to do that do we?"

The grunt who sits in the back seat glaring at the two of them spits the cloth Claude shoved in his mouth out. 

" Fuck off."

Claude stops the car, in front of the dock. How he knows his way around better than Felix who is a resident, actually that's a terrible comparison, Felix's driving and navigational skills are some of the worst.

Anyway, Claude stops. He starts talking again. " And anyway… I'm sure it isn't loyalty keeping you from talking, huh? More like fear. Maybe your boss is scary. I don't know, never met the guy…. No one will say anything about him."

Claude opens the driver's door. Swings out nimbly and gets in the back.

" Do you know what else is scary, us."

Sylvain nearly startles at being included. He doesn't mind it, likes it in a way. He can see Claude in the front mirror, rummaging in his pocket.

" I don't think fear is a good way to lead your subordinates. Do you, Sylvain?"

" Can't say that I do." That much is true.  
Bitter thoughts of his father spring to mind for some reason and he actually grimaces. 

" Now you can tell us what you know and maybe someone can arrange for you to get away from your bird mask-wearing gang unscathed. Or… We could dump you in the river. I hear it gets pretty cold."

" It's always cold, it's pretty insane," Sylvain adds.

" It's pretty insane," Claude echoes with a nod. 

" Fuck. Off," the grunt repeats. 

Claude sighs like he's really upset about it. Sylvain sort of admires the stupidity. But at the same time more pressingly, he's pissed off. So he's long past caring about this cult member's life. Bravery is wasted on him right now. Because he just wants answers and cares less and less about how to get them. 

Claude doesn't hit the grunt over the head with his gun as both the grunt and Sylvain are expecting. Instead, he pulls out a needle. Jabs it into his arm without warning. 

Sylvain doesn't know what's in there but it makes the grunt scream out in pain. 

"It's a truth serum but from what I've heard, it hurts like hell."

Sylvain isn't going to pretend like he doesn't want to punch the ever-living shit out of the man in the back of the car. He settles for listening to him whimper in pain. 

Claude checks his watch. Turns to Sylvain and starts making small talk. Ten minutes later, the man is full out wailing. Dripping with sweat.   
Claude turns back around. " Do you want this pain medication?'' he dangles it in between his fingers, easy as anything. 

The grunt jerks forward. Nodding. Claude is more merciful than Sylvain is it would seem.

They glean information in tortured sobs. Taking turns asking things. 

He doesn't know what their leader's real name is. Jerks in pain as if the admission hurts. 

They get their information. Claude shoves another cloth in the man's mouth. He gets back in the driver's seat and they roll away, the river unperturbed for now.   
____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments/kudos/critiques welcome.
> 
> @Tavitay on twitter!


	3. Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " It's like a puzzle." Claude nods sharply. "Only, when you don't have all the pieces you have to make them fit yourself."
> 
> Felix scoffs. 
> 
> Claude smiles, unperturbed. "Normally I think we'd take things slower, mess around a little. But I don't think we have the luxury right now."
> 
> " So you don't have a plan. They'll be gone by tomorrow. Moved to a different place," Felix says bitterly. 
> 
> Sylvain decides not to mention that Felix's plan was just to storm into the TWSinD Headquarters. Which they didn't know the location of until a few moments ago. 
> 
> " Yeah so, we've got to act fast," Claude says.  
> ___   
> Or,  
> Felix and Hilda, Sylvain and Claude driving through the city getting stuff done.

"So where are we now?" Hilda says. Taking turns from reclining in the passenger seat of Sylvain's car to looking out of the window while staying a little far away.   
Her head tilts as she hums appreciatively over a clothing store that they pass.

" I'm not a damned tour guide," Felix snaps. He turns the heat back down, takes a corner sharply, and curses under his breath. 

" Geez, I can see that. If you were you'd probably get your tour license revoked."

Felix glares at her, then back to the road when he swerves again. He can hear her muffled laughter next to him. 

"What are we looking for anyway? If I have to drive around in this stupid car no reason I'm going to-" He isn't going to crash. 

The empty threat dies in Felix's mouth because, though not religious, he doesn't even want to think of the idea of dying in a car accident. There's too much that he wants to do. 

Felix bites his lip. He doesn't want to think about death at all. But he'll brush death with it today and tomorrow and probably as long as he's alive. At least if he died in combat saving his friends then it wouldn't be a waste.

He doesn't want to think of that either. 

If Hilda notices his indecisiveness she says nothing. 

" It's a waste of time to be driving, that's all." He decides to say instead.

" Though some of those cult weirdoes must have more than one base here… Claude seems to think that anyway. So we're gonna find em and see what they have to say."

"Alright," Felix tries to say nonchalantly. He pats one of his knives eagerly, out of habit. " They attacked me."

Hilda frowns. " Yeah, same."

" You must be able to fight if you managed to survive."

" Why thank you," she says with an exaggerated wink that makes him cringe. 

He sees her looking at him and smiling in the corner of his eye. He frowns and she laughs of all things. 

" You're like, always thinking about fighting huh? I mean that's good, less work to do for me I guess. But maybe tone it down a little bit, we might not have to fight."

" I doubt that."

Hilda looks down at her pink, unnecessarily cute cellphone that Annette would probably like. She flips through it with her pink bejeweled nails. 

" It'll be awhile before we're there. Claude texted me the address."

She reads it. Must think that Felix can't handle looking at the screen and driving at the same time. 

" It's a country club," Felix grumbles. Far away. He shouldn't be disappointed by the probability that there won't be anyone else to stab for a while. 

Hilda digs around in her little pink bag. "Here," she hands him a little bejeweled earbud. " In case we get separated. I think we will you know? These cult guys are pretty easy to manipulate if you throw them a bone or two."

Felix pops it into his ear with another grumble. Decides not to ask what she's talking about. 

" You know," Hilda says looking back out the window. " I've been here before, to Faerghus. My brother really likes the place, says every once in a while that his boyfriend was from here.

Felix frowns. The last thing he wants to deal with is small talk. " Why are you telling me this?"

" Don't like small talk, huh?"

" No."

" Well, what then? What do you like?"

"... Sharp weapons, meat, rescue plans that are less vague and likely to fail than this."

" Yikes, okay. Well, the only sharp things I like are jewelry but not dying is good too."

Felix is glad Sylvain isn't here to talk about the type of meat that he likes. Or Ingrid with all her gluttonous nature and seriousness. He's sure they're okay. This is just fighting with extra steps. When he looks at it like that he's slightly less annoyed over the whole thing. 

" Fine."

He thinks that'll be the end of the conversation. Until Hilda's smile disappears and she looks out the window. 

" I should have reached out but well… we don't really know each other. My brother is Holst Goneril."

She says it like it's obvious. Felix can practically hear Sylvain telling him he should pay more attention to people.

Instead, he looks at the road and shrugs. 

"You're brother was Glenn Fraldarius right?"

He glares over at her but she's still looking out the window. 

" Yeah. Why?"

" I think our brothers were dating. Holst went to the funeral."

Felix closes his eyes. Only opens his eyes again because he has to drive. 

There were so many mourners. His father, Dimitri, Sylvain, and Ingrid, and then the people who were a tear-soaked blur in his mind. Why would he have had to pay attention to random sad people? 

He wasn't sure what to do then, except cry and run.   
Now he drives.

" Okay, so you're his sister." He shrugs. " And you're a mercenary. Does he know?"

" Not exactly… but he's sorry and so am I. Really. I can't imagine what losing him would be like."

" Yeah. It's not like you killed him. And if… they were dating then he can't be too bad."

" Holst is great. He told me that Glenn was too."

" He was." Felix's throat burns. His eyes sting. He feels something else that he can't place. It's weird, most of the people who knew Glenn were or are still here in Faerghus.

There's a silence in the air. Felix hasn't ever minded silence. It's strange that Hilda told him. She could have gotten away with not. It's not like he'd ever know. Ever care.   
Thoughts of Glenn uneasily flood his mind. Glenn is dead. He has no say in anything and so it doesn't matter. Still, he knows Glenn wouldn't want Felix or Dimitri or anyone else to die.

But it doesn't matter, because Glenn is dead. 

There's no reason for Felix to feel as shaky as he does for a few moments. 

Though Felix grips the steering wheel again sighs after a while. The warm press of leather against his hand and the hard feeling of his knives aren't so much a comfort but a reminder that he's alive. 

" Let's just not screw around and end up dead."

Hilda stares over at him blinking, her make up has started to run, he thinks. Felix has never had a very good grasp on makeup. Annette puts it on, she tries to put it on Ingrid, and then there was the rare occasion that she tried to put that eyeliner on Felix. 

"What's this plan of yours?"

Hilda smiles faintly. " Not much actually."

Felix shrugs. Probably more than what he had to work with before. 

" Mmm, there's a party. There's always a party you know? Old people parties are less interesting but there's food and old people who sometimes know things. So we'll go in and see if we can get anything out of them."   
She sounds happier now, looking into the car's mirror and putting on makeup.

" That sounds boring," Felix says. 'We should be rescuing them,' he thinks, clutching the steering wheel and glaring out into the street. Houses are starting to get larger, cars fancier. 

" I guess but I'd rather be bored now than have my friends killed."  
" We aren't friends."

" Oh… okay then," Hilda says and he swears he sees her roll her eyes. Possibly because that doesn't even sound true to himself.

Hilda's bejeweled phone plays a peppy out of place song. 

" Hello, Claude," she says leaning back up against the seat.  
He listens, barely to the fragments of the conversation. Claude and Sylvain must both be alright. Claude seems to think the plan is going well.

Felix can't say he agrees. 

Not that there's much of a plan. Infiltrate old people, party, find the base, possibly stab people. 

His own phone buzzes. Ashe. 

Whether or not he's prepared to talk to him in another story. He sighs. His own bitter friend renouncing words along with Ashe talking about how he and Dedue went on a date. 

They were happy. And as annoyed as Felix wants to be, he was happy for them. Whatever waits on the other side of the phone will have to happen eventually. Ignoring Ashe will only make him worry more. 

But if he hears that Ashe has been abducted and he has to hunt down the bastards that abducted him it'll be even worse. 

Felix pushes down on his phone, shaking, unfortunately.   
" Ashe?" He manages to say evenly.

" Felix," Ashe's voice makes him shiver in relief   
" Hi, I'm glad I could get through. Ahh just like Ingrid said would probably happen, we've been fighting all day. It's ok though. Are you alright?"

" I wouldn't be talking if I wasn't."

Ashe laughs a little. Like everything is ok. He probably isn't even ok himself. He's alive but he has to be sad. Felix almost wants to ask but then he wouldn't know what to say afterward.   
" Right. Well, it's pretty much a bunch of minor gangs attacking. They don't know anything."

" Figures."

" Is Sylvain alright?"

" Yeah he's fine," he says looking over at Hilda like any second now she'll say he isn't. " These Golden Deer people came to help I guess."

" Oh, that's good! I've read about them. They're sort of like urban legends around Leicester but sometimes-

Felix is almost sorry he mentioned it but for the fact that Ashe seems so excited. Launching into an excited nerdy rant that lasts the rest of the ride to the country club.

" That's great, Ashe," Felix says. " Anyway, we're almost there so I'll call you back."

" Oh, alright. Just be careful, ok?

Felix scoffs but holds back the remark of,' that's a stupid thing to say, I'll either die or I won't.'

He shrugs and realizes Ashe can't see that and the situation may call for more than a slightly affirmative grunt. " Don't do anything reckless."

" I won't." 

His stupid kind-hearted ideals aren't worth dying for. And neither is Ingrid's. Felix doesn't say that either.

He reaches down into his pocket to hang up.   
" Oh and Felix, we're going to get Dimitri and Dedue back ok? I know we will."

Felix stares into a row of evergreens and grimaces. Thinks of the most positive thing he can say. " We don't have any other choice."

It's not a promise. He can't make promises like that. 

He hangs up. Sighs. 

" One of your other not friends?' Hilda asks.

Felix frowns. " How are you going to get in there?"

" Oh, pull over, let's switch seats."  
Felix raises his eyebrows but decides to go along with it for now. The only plan he has for getting in anywhere involves stabbing people and apparently he can't even do that at the moment. 

____

Hilda hums to herself, taking far too long to adjust the seat. Felix's hand jitters to his knife at his side. 

" Geez at least try to relax ok," Hilda sighs. " I'm not going to do anything to you and if this goes well then you and your hot redhead friend can go be frozen in the snow and fight each other or whatever weirdos from Faerghus do."

Felix frowns. He holds his hand over his ankle annoyed that if he takes it off now I'll seem like she told him too.

" We don't… well we do more than just that." 

She laughs.

" Sylvain?" He sighs.

"Mmm yeah."

" He's an idiot."

Hilda starts to laugh again. 

He scowls and glares down at the snow. Felix was always good at being cold himself. Blurry and kept secret in his mind was a time when he didn't hate the cold so much. Before when things hadn't gone to hell. Such a long time ago. When fireplaces roared and his friends ran around Dimitri's Father's house. Felix would get hit with snowballs and he'd hide behind Sylvain and Ingrid and Dimitri would spur him back into a fight that 95% of the time he'd lose. Rodrigue would scold them when it inevitably ended in tears and someone tracking snow all through the house but Glenn's muffled laughing in the background would undercut everything. 

Felix feels the pull of a smile on his face before he scowls again. 

" Well we don't-" he starts to protest about Faerghus culture. At least about how they do more than freeze in the snow. But he doesn't care about the words and they die in his throat. 

Hilda jerks the car forward and goes. He braces his hands on the glove compartment. 

Then leans back. 

Hilda drives quickly, humming to herself with her newly applied makeup. Before long they're at a gate, a security guard in black motions and she waves back cheerfully. 

" Hi, we're here to join, well I am anyway." He motions over to Felix. " He's my bodyguard."

Not making eye contact and scowling have always been Felix's thing so it's no different now.

The guard nods. Hilda looses a string of flirty statements and a name that definitely isn't hers. Unless this is all some elaborate lie and she works for TWSitD. He waits for an attack. Nothing comes. 

Hilda smiles and bats her eyes and somehow that's what gets them across the gate.

As she starts to drive again, Felix turns slightly to the side to make sure they aren't about to be shot at. 

The inside of the mansion isn't any better. To think there are people like this eating little quiches and drinking champagne right under his nose. They look like a bunch of old rich people but some of them have to be cultists. 

Hilda smiles and slowly eats one of the quiches. Felix frowns at her. If she dragged him all the way out here just to eat then he is going back to Mercedes's bakery without her. 

A flock of old cult guys moves over to Hilda who takes off her jacket to reveal a ridiculously low-cut dress. 

Now that Felix thinks about it, he's seen Sylvain flirt his way out of parking tickets. This is sort of the same thing. Only now Felix is in the corner by the fireplace holding into a glass of water too tightly. And listening to a feed through a wireless earbud. 

Hilda laughs, carefree and most likely fake. One of the guys takes her coat. She touches the shoulder of another. Felix crosses his arms, then uncrosses them. Tries to feign nonchalance. 

" This is a nice place," she says. " I feel really comfortable here," she drinks some of the champagne. " But I thought there'd be more people here," she looks around dramatically, moving closer to one of the other men. 

" Many of them are away… but in a few days there will be more people around and more money."

" Wow, that's amazing," Hilda says like it actually is. " Could you tell me more?"  
" Maybe we should step away from everyone."

" Oh that's a good idea, I always think better when I'm with fewer people," she says, shifting closer to the man. 

Felix barely taps down an irritated grumble. 

Another man approaches him and if he thinks he's getting anywhere near the absurd performance that Hilda gave he's not.

He glares and the man stops in his tracks.  
" I'm a bodyguard."

" Don't you want to relax?"

" No."

The man sneers, " Felix Fraldarius."

Shit.

Felix clenches his jaw. He hates acting. Espionage and all that nonsense. Getting dragged to one of the opera's Sylvain used to like. Watching those dumb Loog and the Maiden of the Wind dramas with Dimitri before everything went bad. 

Everything is about to go bad again. 

" I think you have me mistaken for someone else." 

He says like the people in the drama would. Doesn't want to just start stabbing people like some blood-lusting unhinged person. 

That doesn't stop him from glaring. " If you want a fight you'll get one."

Which must be the wrong thing to say because the man gasps. Felix hates talking to people all the time, talking his way out of situations that he could just fight his way out isn't much better.   
Hilda is there somewhere. She can probably take care of herself but who knows. But he stalls. Trying to listen. The muffled sound of laughter and then what sounds like a muffled scream of the man she was with.

From down the hall. The old guy talking to him turns a little. Possibly about to sound some alarm. 

" You shouldn't threaten people unless you're prepared for the consequences." Felix declares, his hand now resting on his knife. " I don't need to answer any of your questions."

" We need to leave," he whispers. Before the man turns back around. 

He holds the man's gaze, watching for some sort of movement.

There really aren't that many people here. Like ten or twenty. Not anything Felix hasn't dealt with before. Though he doubts that if the cult is there they only have a group of feeble old men gathered around. 

All around, the men's faces start to change. Their outfits do as well, from formal wear to dark black robes. Faces, some distorted by wrinkles and dark almost unhuman like eyes. They were milling about and now they're all focused on Felix. 

He keeps his breathing steady. Watches, waits. Every instinct in him tells him to flee.

Fainty, he hears another scream. 

Cringing, his eyes dart towards the door. Hilda is not coming through it. He should help her. But he doesn't get a chance to think about it for long.

The man lunches towards him, faster than an old man ought to be able to. Felix is ready. He moves to the side, letting the knife tucked in his pocket come out, jabbing it into the man's arm. 

Felix grunts, kicking and letting out some of his ever depleting lighting magic into the room. 

He jumps back, looking for an exit. None that aren't surrounded or locked most likely. Felix isn't Ashe, he can't pick locks, especially with people shooting at him. He clenches his teeth and forces himself to focus.

Another old man cultist comes lunging at him, this time with a knife at least. Felix can hear the swish of clothes and telltale signs of a gun being withdrawn.

He grumbles, preparing to disarm them both. A slash of his knife towards the man's wrist. Jumping back and preparing more lighting to destroy the gun. 

Hilda's still there somewhere and when he looks towards the door, people are spilling into the room like a plague. 

There's an explosion. Warmth spreads through the building quickly. A loud crash in the back of his head.

Fire spreads quickly along with the smoke. 

Felix coughs, plants his feet into the ground to regain his bearings. Uses the confusion to stab another of the cultists. 

Hilda comes running out of the room. Shooting as she does.

" Ok," she calls. " I think we're good. Let's go."

" Tsk… I guess so." Felix yells. 

Hilda runs, spinning on her heel and shooting as she does. Felix throws one of his knives, stabs one of the grunts in the leg, and keeps going. He hates having to run and leave his knives behind. 

Hilda's clothes are disheveled. Even more so as she runs. As they run towards the car, Hilda turns around and shoots. What she doesn't have in accuracy she makes up for in the number of bullets she shoots. 

Felix hates running from fights. But he'd hate dying in this stupid Country Club even more 

She ducks behind the hood of the car, then leans forward and starts to shoot again. Before unlocking the car and jumping in. Felix drives in and starts to drive, burning the pavement. 

" You did that?" He yells.  
The smell of burning wood and stone, soot, and steam from behind a reminder of the explosion that just took place.

She rolls down the window and starts shooting. Holding onto the cup holder to steady herself when Felix goes faster. 

" Yeah."

" I didn't need your help. But… thanks.'

" Wow, you're welcome. And I didn't do it for you…."

He can see the TWSitD grunts falling in the car's mirror. 

" Those guys, they attacked your base didn't they? So we figured we'd attack there's, but better, you know."

Felix groans. " We could have just attacked them without all of that."

Hilda laughs. " No, 'all of that' got us this." She reaches into her pocket and throws a piece of paper in his lap. " And it'll get us even more.   
Felix pouts and glances down. It's a single scrap of paper. " This is…?"

" Yeah, it's the address to their base." 

Hilda surveys the back of the road, the distant carnage and she sighs, fully back in the car. 

" Ugh, we've got so much work to do… We're gonna storm it. Their main base. This was just a distraction. "

" Just a distraction? Why couldn't we have fought them?" Felix asks. They were outnumbered but maybe he just wanted to fight them rather than run away.

" You know what Claude always says?" She asks like Felix actually knows or cares. " What?"

" Running away is a strategic choice."

Felix rolls his eyes and scoffs on reflex. He still isn't sure how he feels about Claude.   
_____

Sylvain, Claude and the TWSitD grunt they sort of kidnapped have been driving for about thirty minutes when Sylvain's phone rings. Sylvain answers and the phone syncs to Claude's speaker. 

" Hey," Sylvain tries.   
He hears Felix curse under his breath. Can practically see the pout on his face.  
"Sylvain. A bunch of shit happened. Are you both alive?"

" Yep," Sylvain says. 

" Hey guys," replies Claude.

Felix makes one of his muffled grunts over the phone that Sylvain thinks is the pleased one. 

" We used the bombs," Hilda adds helpfully.

" Huh, what bombs?" Sylvain asks, alarmed.

" The bombs we're going to use," Claude says conversationally. His sharp green eyes glinting down at a small black object in his hand. 

" Lysithea made them for us." Hilda clarifies. "

" They work," Felix adds irritably. 

"She's like… a genius but if you tell her that she'll yell at you and tell you to get back to work," Claude says.

Hilda laughs.

'Just like Felix with his knives,' Sylvain thinks fondly. Decides not to say it because it's not the same when he's not there to see Felix pout in person.

Hilda chimes back in to fill them in on the details of what happened. 

" It's like a puzzle," Claude nods sharply. "Only, when you don't have all the pieces you have to make them fit yourself."

Felix scoffs. 

Claude smiles, unperturbed. "Normally I think we'd take things slower, mess around a little. But I don't think we have the luxury right now."

" So you don't have a plan. They'll be gone by tomorrow. Moved to a different place," Felix says bitterly. 

Sylvain decides not to mention that Felix's plan was just to storm into the TWSinD Headquarters. Which they didn't know the location of until a few moments ago. 

" Yeah so, we've got to act fast," Claude says.

_______

Claude turns around, looks at the TWSitD grunt, and shrugs.   
" We've got to do something but we'll call you back in an hour."

" What are we supposed to do?" Hilda groans dramatically. 

" Mmm… drive to the base. Don't get killed. If we don't call in an hour we're probably dead."

" Then don't die," Felix volunteers. Annoyed but with what Sylvain has learned to interpret as an undercurrent of concern. 

______  
" That's about as good as we're gonna get out of him," Sylvain says with a smile, laying back against the seat.

Claude drives, the snow continues to fall. The GPS keeps chirping directions which Claude only half listens to.

" You sure know you're way around," Sylvain says appreciatively.

" The base isn't here," Claude comments. They've made it past the harbor and into the snow slicked streets. For someone who isn't used to driving in the snow, Claude has a good grasp on it.   
" I'm glad, wouldn't want to hurt people in a residential area."

He speeds up when no one is around and slows down just as skillfully. His grip on the steering wheel firm but controlled. 

" You're good at this," Sylvain praises quietly before realizing how lame the sentence sounds. 

Claude smiles appreciatively. His eyes sparkle brighter than the snow. Sylvain needs to get a hold of all these corny pickup lines. They still have that TWSitD grunt in the back after all. 

" Thanks. I don't think we should be limited to skills from where we're from. It's all about trying new things you know?"

" Yeah, that's cool."

They drive quickly through a residential area. Past a shop where a couple people are gathered around and tv that says, ``possible terrorist attack?" In huge red text. So that's nice. In a gang with a leader practically hell-bent on revenge, Sylvain hadn't ever thought what they were doing was good for publicity. 

Only it might be enough to drive Claude away. No deal is set in stone. 

Sylvain glances over and Claude shrugs. 

" Sort of knew this would happen," Claude informs. Like he could have anticipated all of this. 

" I would think that you wouldn't want to team with us given our reputation," Sylvain says mostly jokingly.

Claude, who is still smiling, stops at a red light and looks at Sylvain. Sylvain is probably being dramatic to say this but his heart stops a little bit.

" You can't judge a book by its cover. Though it's usually better when people do for me anyway."

"Oh?" Sylvain replies, not coherently at all. 

" Yeah I mean, it's always better to be underestimated than overestimated."

Sylvain nods. That's something he can definitely agree with. The light turns green again. Claude looks away

" Though in your case it's a pretty good cover to look at." 

Claude laughs. " Mmm, thanks. I agree really, about you. Books with handsome covers are always nice to look at and touch."

Maybe Sylvain blushes, maybe it's the cold. Maybe his stomach feels weird from a lack of eating since the coffee he guzzled down at the cafe. 

Either way, it's fine. Just because you're storming an enemy base with your life on the line doesn't mean there can't be a little harmless flirting. 

Sylvain feels good. Claude looks good. It's fine.

"Though in this case, it's more about having someone who can watch your back. You're spine I guess… if we're still going with the book metaphor."

Sylvain laughs. " So you're trying to tell me you're actually a nerd."

" I don't bust out my book metaphors for anyone." 

Claude winks. Sylvain melts. Much like the snow on the car's roof. 

___

It feels surreal, easy almost. Until they're back on the open road. A small black building looms in the distance. 

" No, it's ok. I mean… we're sort of here." Claude's eyes flicker back into the mirror at the TWSitD grunts face. 

" We'll have to ditch the car. Sorry, Lewis, it's been real." Claude nods to the back of the car.   
The grunt sort of just growls back in return. 

" Then we're gonna borrow a motorcycle and get down in that subway system. It makes sense I guess… having a temporary base there. It'd be easy to get transportation in or out. But you know. I have a feeling that… that they're probably doing something. The same thing they did to one of my agents. That they're torturing them."

Claude's eyes light up in curiosity, then darken in sorrow. He looks at Sylvain, as long and meaningfully as anyone can while driving a car.

" I'm tired of seeing my friends hurt," Sylvain says.

" Yeah, me too," Claude replies, steering the car closer to the still. There's a chirping sound that they both disregard. 

Sylvain looks and he barely recognizes the place. But if the Blue Lions can have a hideout in a bakery then there isn't any reason for TWSitD to not have their hideouts in places like these. 

" I don't like that they're all over Faerghus like this," Sylvain thinks aloud.

" Me neither. The only thing stopping them from killing them is… probably that they want to kill all of us too. Or capture us. Both maybe."

Sylvain admires that. That Claude is actively trying to work through the bullshit.

Lewis falls to the side and groans. Sylvain can't say that he cares particularly. 

Claude drives closer to the building, rolls down the window, and throws the bomb. 

The open window lets in a bitter chill, along with the sudden warmth from the flames. 

The alarms grow louder. Sylvain watches the place start to burn. At first, in the wind and snow, it looks completely abandoned. Three cars come driving quickly out from it. 

Claude turns around. 

" Hold onto something," he shouts. Tires screech against forgotten pavement. Sylvain thuds up against the car door. 

TWSitD vans shoot out of a hidden garage. Better an overgrown abandoned parking lot than a residential street. Sylvain still didn't want to get into a demolition derby today. 

Claude swerves out of the way as the vans get closer. As they try to ram into them.

There's another van coming in over the hill. Barreling down without any signs of stopping. 

" They really don't care about their lives," Sylvain says, a mix of bitter and sad. 

Claude rolls down the window and the cold air hits them both, also a mix of bitter and sad. 

He throws another bomb out the window. The flames are dark and hot, steam rises from somewhere. Claude acts like he's been doing this all his life. Steering back and forth, weaving through debris. Driving one-handed and shooting with his gun. 

Sylvain helps, decides he has to do something. He shoots and by the time they're finished, the field is a burned, bloody mess. 

But even worse is what he feels when he thinks of Dimitri and Dedue being tortured. 

" People around here can never have their bases in normal places," Claude says.

" Hey," Sylvain laughs, other than the cult weirdos Faerghus is pretty… well… fucked up. But if you ever want someone to show you around…"

Claude meets Sylvain's gaze and smiles. Sylvain swears to himself that he knows how to talk to people. That he can talk to them in situations that aren't totally fucked up.

It's nice to have someone to talk to like this right now. Even if it is difficult. Claude looks at you and it takes all the air out of your lungs. Which is terribly cliche and a line he's used before but now it doesn't feel cliche. 

Then again, they are fighting, shooting, and throwing bombs at their enemies. Sylvain could just be suffering from a lack of oxygen. 

It's fine. They're going to rescue Dimitri and Dedue. And then Sylvain can file this under situations he never wants to relive but will probably haunt him in his sleep.

Claude drives them around a big circle before ramming into one of the cars again for good measure. 

" Yeah, that's nice. So far my experiences with the place aren't the best… but I guess that's why you have to try and make new experiences."

" Yeah."

" But… are you alright?"

Practically everything is one fire. Dead and dying enemies all over the place. That's just how it is. 

Sylvain sort of laughs.   
" Things have definitely been better." He doesn't remember exactly when that time was. Or a time when he really cared. Sylvain was more than willing to die in a situation especially if it benefited his friends. Right now, as weird as it is to have emotional relations in the car, it'd be kind of shitty to die right now after all of this. 

" It's a good thing Hilda and Felix did what they did. The less of TWSitD cronies together the easier the fight," Claude remarks.

" Yep," Sylvain replies. Though not a bit of this was easy. 

" Alright now…," we're gonna fake our deaths," Claude says. And just as crazily, he drives back towards the base's garage. 

" Really?" Sylvain asks. 

" Yeah… I think it's just a risk we're gonna have to take." 

Claude smiles slightly before parking the car. 

"You ok? Like physically. After all of that, I wouldn't want you bleeding to death." He asks, stepping out of the burned and bruised up vehicle. " I liked that car," he says to himself quietly before turning back around towards the base.

Sylvain's glad they didn't drive his car.

" I'm good," he says instead. There's a joke in there somewhere but he's too tired to make it. Sort of dizzy. Not wanting to be in a car for a long while. 

" Good. We won't have long."

For some reason, Claude walks closer to the base. Sylvain follows him. Not that he has much of anything to lose. 

"Are you alright,"

" I'm fine, thanks," Claude replies.

'Yes you are,' Sylvain manages not to say.'

He watches in fascination as Claude picks a lock and wanders into what looks like the base's garage. 

They both hum appreciably.

" Wish I had my motorcycle. "

He smiles and all he can say is, " Why a motorcycle?"

Claude scans the still burning room with careful eyes.  
" I miss mine, faster than a bicycle, easier to move in. This one will do, I guess." He touches the metal consideringly.

" You can ride?"

" I'm pretty good at riding things, yeah."

Sylvain laughs, which is probably the incorrect response for whatever this situation is but it's too late to go back.

Electricity crackles in Claude's fingers.

"Are you... You're hot… wiring it?" 

Claude nods. The electricity spreads and the engine revs. He smiles. 

' You can do it all,' Sylvain nearly says.

__

A bit of methodical searching later than a somewhat gruesome stripping of two conscious men. Claude casually taking off his shirt and the rest of his clothes in quick and record time. Sylvain doing the same. Then finding themselves in one of those tacky TWSitD outfits. Before making it back on the open road on the stolen motorcycle. 

Behind them are the stranded wounded soldiers in the snow. Sylvain feels a sick feeling in his gut but he pushes it back down. 

Claude really can drive. Sylvain tries to think about that. Because, TWSitD aside, all he can think about besides them is the fact that he has to hold onto Claude's waist so that he doesn't fall off. The wind sweeps through his hair, that Claude's warmth and the sturdiness of Claude's back really makes Sylvain feel alive. 

" Looks like I really have your back," Sylvain says.

Claude laughs. Sylvain can hear him laughing. He can feel it. And it's a good feeling to have. 

Later, after they speed through another residential area, Sylvain stares at the road. It's getting to be more of a path. Rocky and treacherous. 

Claude takes short cuts that Sylvain doesn't think are quite legal. Cutting through one-way streets, ally's, and construction zones. Sylvain isn't one to care about legality or safety. Maybe him holding onto Claude tightly is just because he wants to.

The roads in the suburbs are slick with snow but it's clear in the sky now. Sylvain peers into the distance and then backward. There's not a suspicious car in sight. It's almost promising. He knows better than to hope.

It isn't much of a meeting, Sylvain calling the Blue Lions and Claude calling the Golden Deer. He gives Sylvain an earpiece that's part of a system Claude and the rest of the Golden Deer use when they're closer together.   
After an awkward time of yelling into the back of a phone passes. With the synching of information and plans coming together, it all falls into place.

They don't have the biggest group of people but they do still have some bombs left. And so, if they attack from all sides, then they should be able to make it. 

" We're about to head underground," says Ashe. " Who would have thought that they'd have a base right under our noses like this."

The abandoned subway station is sealed behind a layer of rock. But apparently, according to Claude's people, the tunnels span across Arianrhod. 

" It's closed up… but we're gonna go in," Annette says.

" That doesn't sound like a good idea," Felix says. 

" We will be alright," Ingrid replies with a strange confidence that could be recklessness or bravery. " We've met up with some of Claude's people and if all goes well we should meet up with all of you soon."

" We'll just have to hope all goes well then," says Sylvain, more confidently than he feels. They've all got a long battle up ahead. As if they haven't been through enough already. 

There's an entrance out in the country. So Claude drives until there are windmills and creepy looking farms close at hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy BB AU Posting Day! Thanks for reading!
> 
> I was drafting this and getting everyone where they should be and Hilda & Felix together just seemed really nice to me. They really should have a support together in the game. So should Claude and Sylvain! Two attractive people who are smart and want to help their friends.
> 
> I'm @Tavitay on Twitter!


	4. Underground

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annette audibly pouts. "Hey, are you alright?"
> 
> " Ah, you know. Just getting shot at. Nothing new." Sylvain says. 
> 
> " You ought to shoot them back," Ingrid says. Her voice is strained. He can practically see her swinging her baton over someone's head. He hopes she's having a better time than she is. 
> 
> " Working on it," Sylvain replies. 
> 
> Ingrid sighs. 
> 
> Annette's wind magic is all that can be overheard over the phone. Her gusts, the pull of Ashe's crossbow, Ingrid's ice magic, and Lorenz's fire magic.   
> ___  
> Or, just another day for Blue Lions where they almost die trying to save each other. Only now they have the Golden Deer's help this time around.

"We're being followed again," Claude says once the call ends.

Claude turns into the field and finally, it looks like they're close. The big black van that's pulled out from the side of the road follows ominously. 

Sylvain looks out into the snow. Into roads that twist around and the looming disgusting smell of sewage.

There's another rickety-looking house like the one they just bombed. 

Suddenly, they're jerked backward. Sylvain nearly hits his head on the back of the seat. He struggles to keep his eyes open. But there isn't anything there. 

Claude swerves to the right, grabs the wheel with one hand, uses the other to cast a wind spell. It brushes up against something screeching as if it's caught on an invisible wall.

" Really can't catch a break here, huh." Claude sighs.

Sylvain stares out into the open sky. He can smell the ozone in the air, the murky dark magic clouds. He nearly gags. Watching as TWSitD grunts materialize literally out of nowhere. 

His phone buzzes. Ashe. Sylvain answers as he heaths his gun over his shoulder. 

" Hey, Sylvain, we're still underground but I think we're close to you. No sign of Dimitri or Dedue. And… there are these walls…"

"I think they run on magic," Lorenz says. 

" Yeah, I think so too," Sylvain shouts, shooting with his other hand around Claude in a sort of death grip. 

" With a spell-like this, the caster usually has to be somewhere nearby," Annette yells over the sound of gunfire underground. " They're weaker here so maybe they're closer to you. 

The motorcycle comes particularly close to a warping TWSitD grunt. Sylvain strikes him in the head. 

Annette audibly pouts. "Hey, are you alright?"

" Ah, you know. Just getting shot at. Nothing new."

" You ought to shoot them back," Ingrid says. Her voice is strained. He can practically see her swinging her baton over someone's head. He hopes she's having a better time than she is. 

" Working on it," Sylvain replies. 

Ingrid sighs. 

Annette's wind magic is all that can be overheard over the phone. Her gusts, the pull of Ashe's crossbow, Ingrid's ice magic, and Lorenz's fire magic. 

Claude's talking to someone too. Ducking behind the steering wheel as a bullet pierces the motorcycle's front. Whenever they try to shoot, the TWSitD grunts hide behind the invisible walls. Bullets look as if they're suspended in mid-air, before ricocheting off and onto the ground. 

He hums, aiming his wind magic at the ground and gusting atop one of the barriers. shooting down from there. Sylvain hops off the bike as it crashes into another of the grunts.

" You can drive huh?" He mutters, laughing, getting up before he's shot at again.

Claude's voice rings in his ear as clear as day. " I definitely can. Let's try to hey past these things ok?"

" Yeah."  
Sylvain looks up and catches the smirk on his lips. He has to say, as much as he isn't one to get hot and bothered by someone in battle, Faerghus being what it is, it's better to keep work, pleasure, and bloodshed separate 

But there's Claude. Calm, collected, sure of himself, and softly speaking commands into his earpiece. 

" Lysithea, you're getting into place yeah?"

" Yes."

" It must have been easy, seeing as you're so small."

" Claude. I know your location."

" Heh, I know. I'm just trying to figure out yours."

The car lurches to the side. 

" Guess this is it," Claude says. Rolling out the car and using the wall as cover himself. " Too dangerous with all these walls up."

Claude talks to more people and weaves through the invisible barriers. 

" It's like a maze," Claude remarks. 

He breaks one of the thinner walls with his wind magic, lets it glide through the cracks in the wall. Sylvain's fire magic makes the snowmelt and the layers steam up. 

At the same time. the walls start to get smaller. More concentrated. Until they can't drive any further.

The subway station is close ahead. A rather creepy series of tunnels and stairways.   
There's a small dilapidated building. and Sylvain can see movement from inside. He sees his car abandoned near the building.   
A movement that he'd recognize anywhere.   
The sharp twist of a knife. Loose black hair whipping in the wind. Felix.

He sees Hilda hefting a piece of wood over her head and slamming it down on a robed figure. 

" The gang's all here," Sylvain thinks out loud. 

The fighting is far from over. And if the TWSitD grunts are coming out of the tunnel that means it'll be hard for them to get into the tunnel 

There's an orange-haired woman and a big blonde guy. Along with Mercedes. Her shotgun slung over her shoulder shooting at TWSitD grunts. More of Claude's people. If Lorenz is down there with Ingrid, Marianne, Annette, and Ashe. And Lysithea and Ignatz are trying to take over the security system then those other people must be Raphael and Leonie. 

"This may be a trap," Claude says. Into his phone. " But we've got to give it our all."

" Right!"

" Ignatz says he found it. The security system."

" Oh, good."

" They're down there. Dimitri and Dedue. I can see their body temperatures. It's mostly concentrated to the west but I can send a map to everyone's phone." Says Ignatz while typing at a keyboard. 

" Nice, thanks Ignatz," Claude says smiling. 

" Oi, Fe. Hilda, I'm glad you guys made it." Sylvain says.

" This isn't a social call, Sylvain. They're done there. I'm going in."

" No you're not," Ingrid says at the same time that Sylvain says, " That's a bad idea, man. Not by yourself."

" If these fools get it together enough to realize that they can kill us then we're all dead."

" Yeah, that's usually how dying works."

Felix grunts angrily. 

" We don't know what they're doing underground. Those might not even be their thermal readings. They could be dead."

Sylvain can see Felix's angry worried energy just as well as he can hear it.

" That doesn't mean we should act rashly." 

Felix grumbles something, punctuated by the sound of a knife thrust.

Thankfully, or unthankful, Sylvain can hear the sound of him fighting someone again. 

___  
" It's an awful idea," Felix pouts. Hilda rolls her eyes.   
He digs around Sylvain's car's glove compartment for aspirin. The things just about out of gas and the bottle is just about empty. 

Felix clutches it in his hand and crinkles his nose. Pops the pills in his mouth and swallows dry. 

" Do you have a better one?" He shrugs. More annoyed than anything else. Eyes scanning for movement. There's a small falling apart building. Felix swerves, parking the car and practically jumping out of the door. 

Hilda groans and follows him. Even though he never asked her to. 

Someone above shoots at them. Felix squints and jumps to the side. Hilda's shooting again. Felix slides on the wet ground nearly trips into something. It's not like he hasn't fought in ice or slick. When he reaches his hand out, he hits a wall. 

He scoffs and runs his hand over it, running towards the building's entrance. 

" Can't we wait till Claude gets here?" Hilda yells from behind.  
She aims her gun and shoots through one of the high windows. Felix can hear the screams, his blood rings in his ears as he yells.

" Do you want to tell them that?" Why did she bother coming with him if she's just going to complain the whole time? 

" Ugh, good point." 

Felix rams into the door. Scrambles up the steps. Someone tries to hit him over the head with a bat and he ducks. 

Curses himself for being so distracted. 

Dimitri could be dead. This could all be for nothing. He could die here and that would be it.   
He bites his tongue. This isn't the time to think of that. Curses and gets into the next room. 

There's another set of steps. Just as he thought he got his bearings. 

Hilda yells," duck," behind him.

One of the metal boxes whizzes by. Felix braces himself on the rickety railing. 

He groans. Hilda sort of laughs. " That was the last of them."

No one will be laughing if the building collapses in on itself.

Felix sucks in a breath and runs into the smoke.

More bullets. More stabbing, until he's at the top floor. Swaying to the side and forcing himself to keep it together. 

He dodges a bullet and throws one of his knives. Stabbing the TWSitD grunt in the forearm. 

Sylvain and Claude's voices blare to life in his earpiece. The pink bejeweled thing Hilda gave him.

This goes on for a while. The listening. Fighting. Hearing that all the other Blue Lions are alive.  
Some guy he doesn't remember the name of confirms that Dimitri and Dedue are alright. But who knows. Alive might mean almost dead. Getting tortured to death.   
He thinks of the video from before. Alive doesn't have to be alright. Alive also doesn't mean dead. It might be okay. 

Felix smiles faintly. He sighs. Near the window. Not in relief, Mostly because he needs air. 

Melted snow puddles on the invisible walls. 

He squats down. 

The movement of someone striking him clear as day. 

Felix twists and cuts into the man's hand. He kicks, low, and stabs again in the space where his neck meets his shoulder. 

" You've done worse to him haven't you?" He grumbles almost incoherently to himself.

The man he stabbed is dead. Good. But he was only following orders. Not that Felix cares.   
If you don't have the strength to back up your ideals… or whoever's ideals that you've chosen to follow… then you die

It would be easier if that was what he was doing. Knives- cogs in a machine needn't have emotions. 

But at this point, Felix knows it's more than that. 

He takes a breath, strengthens the hold of his knife. If he can still fight then it will be fine. 

He looks out of the window again, slushy air hits him in the face. It should be colder. He's freezing. But his face is warm and flushed. 

" I do not have time for this." He growls. Mostly to himself. 

Partially to Sylvain who's telling him not to go down into the tunnels alone. 

He's not going to. Someone from their group has to be down there. It will be fine. 

When he thinks about it, frowning, clutching his knife, and breathing in cold air at the side of the window, there isn't any other option. 

" I'm going." He says to the quiet, bloodstained room. To Hilda who's running up the steps swinging a bat fighting the stragglers as she goes. 

" Don't," Sylvain replies. Strained because he must be fighting too. Felix has no intention of letting him get hurt either. This whole thing has gone on long enough. 

" Cover me then."

" You're both foolish," says Ingrid.

" Do you have a better plan?" replies Felix.

Annette's voice echoes into his earpiece.

" Felix! You're being really reckless." She shouts.

" Don't really have any other choice." He mutters. Shrugs and realizes she can't see it. 

Ingrid is silent. Then, " It's unconventional at best."

" It's a mass execution at worst," Felix replies.

" Sometimes the best plan is the only plan that you have," Claude muses.

Felix isn't sure how he feels about Claude. He shrugs. Realizes he can't see that either. "Yeah."

So much talking. It's irritating. 

He hears the noises Mercedes and Ashe make when they're fighting. 

Slowing down is not an option. 

They're all trying their hardest so he has to as well.

" We'll cover you," Sylvain says even though Felix can't see him. He's said that before.

" Fine," Felix replies, trying to be annoyed but getting something more relieved. He's been trying not to feel anything for the last twelve hours or so but it's still not working. 

" Good," Sylvain says, like it doesn't make him seem like a burden. Out in the foggy cold field, he should be able to take care of things himself. 

Felix jumps out the window. Lands onto the invisible planes that are still slippery. He runs until he nearly falls, kicking one of the grunts for good measure. 

Some twisted sense of satisfaction blooming in his gut. Along with the nauseous. The burning in his chest. Right now that's what it means to be alive. 

Running towards the tunnel. Past more invisible walls.   
Amidst all the chaos are the stairs. Bombs exploding, arrows and bullets flying, magic and ozone whirling in the air.

None of this should be happening. Instead, Felix runs and says into his earpiece.   
"What's done there?"

" More people trying to kill us, unfortunately," says Ignatz.

Felix scoffs. 

TWSitD grunts come out of the stairs like roaches. Felix grimaces. Says it aloud. 

The little magic he has left crackles at his fingertips. His knives' hilts are hot against his skin. 

Swords like lines of electricity form. Arrows, bullets, and magic fly into the tunnel with him.

Wind magic gusts out from a truck window. Felix turns and squints at the fogged up glass. Sees Sylvain's familiar red hair.  
He keeps running. Into a dimly lit rather disgusting tunnel. 

There's a car behind him, running over TWSitD grunts. Lights flickering on and off eerily. Smashing of windows. The tunnel narrows. 

" He stole another vehicle, " Sylvain says, bewildered.

Claude sighs. Just on the edge of bitterness. " Doubt they'll be needing it."

Felix doesn't exactly trust Claude. But the leader of the cryptic mercenaries should be able to look after himself. Sylvain will have to be fine. 

The lights crackle and fizz out.

" I turned off the lights," announces Ignatz.  
"That should give you some cover."

Sylvain laughs. "I guess if we can't see them then maybe they can't see us."

Felix frowns. Maybe they're like the roaches. Tough and hard to kill. Realizes that he's said that aloud as well. 

"Roaches are actually pretty cool," Ashe adds.

Felix sighs. "We are not talking about roaches right now.

Not when he's fighting and slashing his way through the crowd.   
He can't kill all of them. He doesn't have the time. Though it might be better to get lost in the bloodshed then to progress further. 

Someone needs to get to Dimitri and Dedue. Make sure that they're safe. Felix doesn't want to admit that he wants it to be him. 

Rage and strategies of not leaving yourself vulnerable flood his mind. But his friends are there and there isn't any time to waste. 

You're not supposed to let your anger get the best of you in a fight. So Felix listens to Claude talking about how they're launching an attack from the other side of the tunnels again for a distraction. 

He frowns. Cutting down anyone who gets in his way. Weaving through hallways.  
The crackle of Ignatz's voice in his ear. " We don't have a map of the place but there's a thermal signal up ahead to the right."

It's great in theory but now he's just running around not fighting anyone or getting anything done. He narrows at the blurry map on his map and sighs. Trying to avoid the grunts when he can. 

Then runs down yet another concrete hallway. Fighting dark figures in the damp and dark is a challenge. Felix squints at the dead end. Has to backtrack down another hall. 

Has to cross the mossy abandoned railway tracks.   
Starts to climb back up. 

He sees a familiar head of blonde hair, the same ratty blue coat. The same one as,  
"Dimitri?"

It's startling, but for better or for worse, Dimitri has always been too stubborn to die.

His eyes widen. " Boar, are you- how did you get here?"

He looks up to see Dimitri looking down at him. 

"Let me help you, " says a voice that is undeniably Dimitri's. A bit gravely, hurt even.

Something twists in Felix's heart. " It thought you were- I'm glad you're alive. After… after all of this, it- I-" 

He has to stop himself from saying something stupid. Babbling. But he doesn't want to. Tears prick in his eyes and he smiles. Watching Dimitri inch closer. Bending down and smiling. 

He's not wearing his eye patch. The cult must have taken it from him.   
Felix feels rage, which is still easier to feel than joy. 

He lifts Felix up with his bare hands. 

Felix's heart races somehow more than it already is.

" I didn't want to fail my friends." Dimitri continues.

The lights flicker back on. Felix looks at Dimitri, hunched over to the side, bloodied with a happy gleam in his eye. 

Felix wants to tell him so many things. Happy things that he can barely tap down.

" Are you alright? I believe that someone hurt you. Let me see." 

Dimitri steps closer. Moving to touch Felix. 

Felix thinks he ought to let him. But he feels uneasy.

" Where's your dog?" His stomach lurches. Dimitri doesn't flinch.

Dedue's not here. Dimitri wouldn't have left without him. Felix wouldn't act so disparagingly. Not anymore. Dedue doesn't only live for Dimitri. He has Ashe and he has himself.

Dimitri would react. Chastise Felix and they'd start to argue. 

" Hmm?" Dimitri says instead. He reaches out. 

Felix leans to the other side. His hand is in his pocket. 

His eyes narrow. His breath hitches. He steps forward and shoves Dimitri over. 

"You're not Dimitri," he growls. " Where is he?"  
Breathes out a ragged breath as he holds out one of his knives.

" Felix," Dimitri's face shifts in concern. " That really hurt. How could you do that?"

" Shut up. It won't work." Felix hovers, sure now that this is some sort of magic. 

The lights go off again and Sylvain, Claude, and Ignatz are yelling in his ear.   
As if he doesn't already know.

As if it isn't too good to be true. 

" You're not Dimitri. Your hands are soft, you're not wearing gauntlets. You don't care about Dedue." 

' You were going to touch me,' he almost says. 

"Where is he?" He inquires. Struggling to keep his voice even. 

If he's not here. Felix's stomach twists itself in knots after the brief relief he felt. 

He's going to throw his knife. Cut this imposter like they did to Dimitri in the street. 

The imposter Dimitri laughs at him. Dark, bitter, and eerily close to his own Dimitri's. 

Not that Dimitri is his actually. Or that the real Dimitri doesn't act fake most of the time. But it's different. Felix can tell. He's already lost Dimitri once. Almost lost him a second time when he didn't think there was anything else to lose. It won't happen again. 

Felix grips his knife and glares.

The fake Dimitri laughs.   
"The faces that you make. Flames, it's entertaining as hell you know."

" Tell me," Felix growls.

" Ugh, why should I tell you anything. You're all obsessed with each other and that's what's going to get you all killed. So stupid. That blonde beast's parents. Your brother… It must run in your bloodlines."

Felix shouts.   
" What are you talking a-"

Something dark swirls around his feet. He steps out of the way. The second that he does he's in the air. Fake Dimitri kicking him. Clawing into him. He tumbles back onto the abandoned rail. Shouts again. Before the wind is knocked out of his lungs. Braces his hands on the ground.   
His vision swirls. His stomach aches. He gets back up.

" I should kill you. Put you out of your misery." Fake Dimitri growls. 

Felix shivers involuntarily. 

" You're not Dimitri," he repeats. Mostly to himself. Because his body still hasn't caught up with his mind. He wishes it was Dimitri. That this wasn't happening. 

He's fought Dimitri before. It's the same face and voice but not the same fighting style.   
Fake Dimitri lunges forward with his knuckle braces. Felix just barely moves out the way.

" Ugh, you're so annoying to kill." Fake Dimitri spits. "Even worse than your brother. I thought you'd just bleed out slow and pretty like he did. Well… pretty after he spent his time struggling." He laughs, punching and twisting around again. 

Felix is mostly dodging at this point. It's not like he can't hurt Dimitri. Like he hasn't done it before. But the clone is fast. Saying things he doesn't want to hear. 

Felix should run away, he should stop listening to him talk about Glenn. 

The hesitation earns him a punch. 

He cuts at the fake's wrist, elbows him in the face. elbowed him in the face. The fake smiles, and fights back.  
Felix thinks he must be playing with him. It pisses him off. All of this does 

" Not even the Fraldarius that he likes the most. The blonde beast was calling out to them… his ghosts."

Felix interrupts him with a slash from his knife. Merely a flesh wound. 

The fake keeps talking anyway.

"Even though Glenn's dead. But it isn't like any of you are strong enough. If you can't rescue him then what good are you anyway? If you weren't so weak then this wouldn't be happening, Felix."

Felix freezes. Only for half a second but it's too late. 

The fake punches him again and Felix takes it. He fights back. Jabs a knife in the fakes arm and growls.   
The blood is a purplish color splattered on the ground. 

Felix is sweaty, cold, feeling like he may vomit up blood. He wishes he hadn't stopped moving, his mind catches up to the pain he's in.

Sylvain and Ingrid are saying something. Fake Dimitri is taunting him. The mention of Glenn like this makes him so angry. He can barely move.

" You Fraldarius's are all the same…. You mention one thing about your brothers or tragedies or bosses and you crumble apart." The fake chides.

Felix has had nightmares about this. About fighting Dimitri. Wondering if he'd really snap like this. 

" He's dead," Felix mutters. Mostly to himself.   
His vision is blurry but he can see some of the TWSitD grunts trickling into the background.   
" I won't-"   
He won't die. He won't live. He won't get to rescue Dimitri.   
Felix isn't sure what he means to say. 

Fake Dimitri laughs. 

Felix jabs out with his knives. Fake Dimitri grabs Felix by his jacket. 

Clicks his tongue. " My bosses are pretty angry, you know? You disgusting humans killed a lot of my subordinates. But I think that after I capture you… maybe torture your friends more, I might get a raise."

" You won't touch them." He growls. Trying and failing to break his hold. 

" Awww so loyal. Your boss said the same thing. Before we knocked him out. Maybe we should torture you in front of him like we did his grey-haired friend. Oh, or you could watch while we carve out his other eye?"

Felix has never been one to give up. He growls, increasingly pissed off. Needing to do something. Lighting jerks out of his palms. He zaps the clone in the stomach. Kicks as hard as he can, which isn't very hard.

Predictably, the fake shoves him back against the wall. Kicks him in the ribs.

Felix screams. Hates the pained sound of it more than the pain itself. 

He hears Claude yell something. "Don't breathe."

If Felix could form a coherent sentence he'd say that he with his ribs the way they are that that don't be happening. 

He hears an arrow knocking and a warm purple haze surrounds him.

Suddenly Sylvain is there. Shooting his fire magic and his bullets at the fake Dimitri. Fake Dimitri transforms into the orange-haired girl from before in the alley.

Or Felix is hallucinating from blood loss.

Sylvain yells something. Glares at her before his gaze falls on Felix's then back to the crowd. 

Felix remembers to breathe again. Sees the dark spots in his vision and remembers to stay awake. Focuses on the pain inside of the urge to pass out. Focuses on rescuing Dimitri.

__

Sylvain runs into the tunnel. Yells into his earpiece. But Felix, stubborn bastard that he is, doesn't listen. He's thankful for Claude and his crossbow. He shoots with frightening accuracy or would be if Sylvain had time to stop and admire it.  
And it isn't like Sylvain cares at all for gender stereotypes but for someone so beautiful Hilda really can fight. 

Claude's whole team is like that. Quick and skilled. Infiltrating the base at different points, weakening its defense. That was the best way to go about it.

When you knew someone or something's weak points, it was easier to bring them down. 

Ingrid speaks on the other side of the underground hideout out. He can hear her ice and baton swinging through the piece 

" They're talking about Glenn. He's going to do something foolish." She says before attacking someone else.

" He's already doing something stupid," Sylvain says, half-jokingly. He starts to run faster anyway. 

" I'm releasing the poison," Claude announces. 

" What is it with you and poisons, man," Sylvain says.

" Hopefully… you won't ever have to find out."

Two things happen at once. Sylvain holds his breath and he sees Felix up ahead. 

He sways, glaring and holding his knife but he's hurt.

Sylvain shoots his gun. Claude shoots his crossbow.   
The other TWSitD grunts who have gathered around cough and start to pass out. Some of them disappear but Sylvain doesn't have any time to worry about that. 

Sylvain lunges forward as the Fake Dimitri moves to dodge. Sylvain moves with him and wacks the fake in the face. 

He groans and screams in a way that doesn't sound like Dimitri at all. 

Felix is leaning up against the wall. Why he got back up so soon, Sylvain doesn't know. He covers his mouth and holds onto his stomach. It's unlike Felix to show any signs of pain. It must be bad. 

Of course, it's bad. The poison fog swirls around at their feet, settling there before disappearing. Sylvain puts the shirt to his mouth and nose anyway.

Glares at the fake Dimitri who has already gotten back up. Dark magic swirls at his fingertips. Sylvain shoots before really thinking about it.

The Fake Dimitri moves out of the way unnaturally fast before shooting back at Sylvain.

Sylvain jumps out of the way. 

Sylvain shoots again She moves quickly but it still grazes her. A weird, almost purplish blood coats the floor along with the red of Felix's. 

Sylvain wants to see more of her blood spilled. 

Claude shoots again. The fake lunches for Sylvain with some sort of blade. It pierces his gun. 

Instinctively, he raises his hand and shoots out fire magic.

It burns, scorches. He can hear him scream. Good. It sounds like Dimitri this time and Sylvain winces. He drops the burned piece of metal that was his gun. It doesn't stop him from keeping his fire magic going. Needing to fight. How dare whoever this is hurt his friend.

Claude, who has silently circled around the back shoots again. 

His green eyes locked onto his target. An arrow that looks like it's drenched in another type of poison stabs the fakes back.

Sylvain stops. The flames around him dissipate as does the poison gas.

Felix gasps for air near the wall.

The fake yells and is suddenly surrounded by dark light. 

The light envelops him and he shifts into a barely dressed orange-haired woman. 

Claude shoots again.   
She lobs some dark magic spell that Sylvain mostly avoids. Nicks him in the arm. Burns, bleeds, and stings all at once. 

" Go and get your people, " Claude yells. Brandishing a bat now. 

The orange-haired woman laughs. " Like I would let that happen." 

" Unfortunately for you, it's happening anyway," Claude replies. Glaring at her. 

She goes to release another dark magic spell. From far away, someone throws a rock. 

Sylvain turns slightly to see Hilda's no familiar pink head of hair. 

" Go," Claude repeats. " We'll be fine." He winks. Sylvain's chest tightens.

Orange haired women starts attacking Claude again. 

" You're not even supposed to be here." 

" Well I am," Claude shrugs.

" Then die." She growls. Lunging towards Claude again. He parries the attack and fires wind magic with his other hand. 

" What? Claude says, moving away to avoid a dark magic attack. " I don't get an angry villain monologue too?"

The orange-haired girl seems to be slowing down. Or at least Sylvain hopes she is. 

Felix, still the stubborn fighter that he is, doesn't sit back down like he should. He mutters something and coughs. Struggling to get up. 

" Woah, Fe. Bud, stay down."

Felix starts to move. More slowly than usual.   
Walking to the ramp towards the hall. 

" Dimitri. That wasn't… that wasn't Dimitri before was it? Did he-" Felix coughs. Puts his hand to his mouth and wipes the blood on his pants. " He's not…. He's."

" What are you doing," Sylvain says, moving to catch up with him. 

" That wasn't Dimitri." Felix wheezes quietly. 

" Yeah, I see that."

" I'm going to find him."

Felix glares at him. He frowns, bites the inside of his lip. His eyes are wet and Sylvain doesn't think it's entirely from the pain. 

Sylvain gets Felix's arm over his shoulder.   
Because short of Felix passing out again he probably won't give up.

He barely fights it, which isn't a good sign either. He shifts forward and the pain shows on his face.

Sylvain frowns and casts heal. He stops and cuts Felix's coat. Wraps it around the wound on his shoulder. Felix isn't going to stop so Sylvain may as well not stop him. He helps him up.

As they round another corner, closer to where Ignatz told them to go, other figures appear.

Sylvain nearly stops. Felix tenses, somehow more than usual. As if being in pain after all of this is just not an option.

There isn't any way to run away. Nowhere to hide. His fire magic crackles around him. The wound on his arm throbs just to remind him it's there. 

Mercedes, Annette, and some purple-haired guy who must be one of the Golden Deer come running, almost crashing into Felix and Sylvain. 

The second Mercedes sees them she starts to cast recover. 

Annette holds her hand out, casting as well. " Ingrid told us to come here first to make sure you guys are ok." She looks at Felix and he frowns, sort of looking past her.

" Thank you."  
Sylvain nods in agreement. " Yeah, thanks." He still feels like crap but after getting healed it's easy to see how much worse things could be. 

Felix starts to keep walking. Sylvain goes with him. 

Ashe frowns, his eyes teem with concern.   
" They're down here somewhere but… it doesn't look like TWSitD want us here."

" Ugh, I guess so," Sylvain says, frowning and rubbing the back of his neck reflexively. 

They start to run again. Power walk really. And when the tunnels start to wind around and Ignatz tells them that he still isn't sure where Dimitri and Dedue are, they split up slightly to search. 

Sylvain can still hear Claude, the orange-haired girl, and now Hilda fighting.

Felix insists that he's fine and starts to wander towards one of the doors 

Here it looks less like a dilapidated subway station and more like a lab. With steel doors and lights that flash red and green.

It takes minutes of digging and sifting through debris until they get to a series of metal doors.  
Sylvain thinks he can probably use his fire magic to make something happen. Ashe tells him where to burn to get through more effectively. He's pulled out a lock pick and started to get another of the older doors open.   
" This place is badly damaged. You can tell that it isn't their main base because their security isn't very good." Ashe explains as he pushes through the door.

" She's running and we lost sight of her," Claude says. " I don't think she had enough magic to cast warp too far but… I'd be careful," says Claude. 

Sylvain doesn't know about being careful but he is glad Claude and Hilda are alive. 

" This must be the room," Ashe says, a fighting mix of unease and positivity. 

It smells like blood. They press forward. 

The blood smell only gets stronger in the room. 

Dimitri is tied there. In chains. Looking glassy eyes and pained.

The group around them lets out a long group exhale. No one looks particularly good. Ashe, Annette, and Mercedes are all smiling but faintly and exhausted. 

" It's him," Felix says. Or asks quietly while leaning back on the blood-stained wall. 

" We're here," Sylvain offers. " It's ok." When Dimitri clenches his jaw. When his gaze doesn't focus on anything particular. 

There's blood everywhere and by the way, it's under his fingernails and the outline of his jaw, Dimitri must have been fighting back. 

Sylvain takes another step forward, nearly distracted by the gruesomeness of it all. 

Mercedes steps forward as well, slowly like she's approaching a nervous animal. The glow of her healing magic surrounds her hand. 

" Can you move? Do you hear us?"

Dimitri lurches forward weakly. His words are slurred." You're… you're all real. Why are you- You shouldn't be here."

" Neither should you," Sylvain counters. Like Dimitri just expected them to let him die. It shouldn't come as a surprise. Nor should the cuts on Dimitri's hands or his normally covered eye. Fresh cuts and blood dot the area. 

The way his hair is matted and dirty reminds Sylvain of the other time when Dimitri very neatly died.

" They drugged me. And Dedue. They tortured him but he was still. I don't-'' He sobs and shakes and tries to move again.

" No, wait here," Sylvain says moving towards the chains. 

At his full strength, Dimitri could probably rip the chains from the walls. If Dimitri were feeling better he'd probably rip the place apart with his bare hands. 

Sylvain knells down. Starts to focus his fire magic on one part of the metal like Ashe taught him.

Instead, he makes a low pained whine. " I am so sorry. This never should have happened."

"It's going to be okay. We'll go find Dedue," Ashe promises. Heading towards the door.

" He has to be fine," Annette assures, going with him.

Mercedes pants and wipes the sweat off her brow. " Let's get you above ground and treat your wounds, okay?" Like they have any other option.

" You'll be alright." She soothes. "We have to get out of here before someone else attacks."

Sylvain manages to get one cuff off. It hits the ground with a clank.

Dimitri's arm slumps to the ground. The circular bruise around his wrist isn't exactly reassuring to look at. 

Sylvain's jaw tightens involuntarily. 

" Felix," Dimitri says. Alarmed again. 

Sylvain looks over. Felix is laying up against the wall. Still breathing. 

" He's just exhausted," Mercedes reassures. 

" We all are," Felix slurs, still finding the strength to grumble. 

She moves over to touch Felix's pulse point. " Though he needs blood. We should get him up there as well. Quickly and carefully as we can."

Sylvain moves back over to him. Your past is probably a bloody nightmarish mess if you can't use your hands to count how many times your friends have almost died from blood loss.

" Felix," Sylvain calls. 

Felix's eyes flutter and he frowns. 

" Fe, you need blood, you can't pass out right now."

Felix frowns more and mutters something. 

" Felix," Dimitri says. " I am so sorry. You shouldn't have had to-"

" Shut up," Felix slurs.

" You should tell him," Sylvain whispers. Blurting out anything to keep Felix from passing out again. 

" I fucked up," Felix mutters instead. His gaze glassy, clutching onto one of his knives like it's a lifeline.

" We found him," Ashe says, over the soft crackle of healing magic. 

" Good," Sylvain says, sighing in relief. " Let's get out of here.

" They rescued Dedue," Sylvain says to Dimitri when he realizes he has no way of hearing.

Dimitri blinks as if only barely retaining the information, before smiling a little.

Claude speaks into Sylvain's earpiece unexpectedly. 

" We're alright…" He says, sounding unexpectedly dejected. " We lost her… That TWSitD general."

" That's good… that you're alright. Not that you lost her." Sylvain fumbles. 

"She's the one who told me about Those Who Slither in the Dark's involvement in the tragedy." Dimitri sounds angry again, but still weaker and more diluted than his normal rage. 

" That's why- I became distracted. I shouldn't have… If I hadn't lost focus then none of you would have had to suffer."

" Shut up," Felix mutters again. 

" It's alright," Mercedes says.

But if anger is the thing that keeps Felix alive and remorse is what's keeping Dimitri conscious then that's what it is. 

Mercedes has taken to the task of getting Felix to his feet. Staring to move back out into the hallway. With injured people everywhere it's going to be a long way back to the entrance. 

Sylvain manages to help Dimitri up. Dimitri who keeps insisting he's fine. Judging the shape he's in, Sylvain thinks otherwise. 

Lysithea speaks through her earpiece. " I just overheard a signal that said it isn't worth keeping the base operational and they're blowing it up remotely. Ignatz is trying to delay their signals but… we won't have long."

" I guess they're not the only ones with bombs." Says Claude. 

They start to move. Sylvain helps Dimitri and Mercedes helps Felix. They break into a slightly faster walk. Felix startles. Dimitri moves sluggishly. 

Through passageways and halls. When the ground starts to shake. Something cracks. The light flicker on and off. 

Seeing the entrance, the last remnant of day time, breathing in cold air feels way better than Sylvain ever thought it would. The earpiece in Sylvain's ear projects Claude's voice. 

Claude said they'd probably try to blow up their base so it isn't much of a surprise.

" I guess it's a good thing we got out of there. Looks like we made the right call."

" It looks like you made the right call," Sylvain replies fondly. 

But they have a long way to go from here.

Once they get further away and Sylvain can feel the fire at his back, he turns around and looks at the explosion.  
Even now that Dimitri, Dedue, Claude, Hilda, Felix, and everyone have made it out safe, he can't bother feeling bad for the TWSitD grunts who didn't make it out.

He turns again, back towards the van that Claude stole. At his own car that looks worse for the wear. Back to the Blue Lions and Golden Deer who helped them get out of here in the first place.

Tastes the burnt smell of sewage, only stronger after the explosion. 

______

Felix has lost consciousness before. Struggled to hold on. This wasn't his first life or death situation. It isn't the first time he's been in pain, barely able to move, listening to Sylvain spout his nonsense, Ingrid scolding him, or Dimitri's stupid delayed pity. It's not the first time he's moved through concrete hallways, littered with blood and bodies. It's not the first time he's been shepherded into a van. 

Rolling down the abandoned tree-lined road.

Ingrid, Annette and some people who must be Golden Deer agents are there. Ingrid drives. Quickly. He thinks. But then again, everything feels like it's moving too fast and not fast enough. He sees her looking at him. Sad, disapproving, angry. 

" 'm fine," Felix slurs. To the figure that's sitting next to him. Orange hair, concerned eyes. Annette.   
Annette nods. Her hand glows with healing magic anyway. She looks tired. She's a good healer. But she was fighting hard. The only healing spell Felix knows is basic and he doesn't even think he can cast it without vomiting.

He takes Annette's hand. " Don't have to- You're tired."

Annette doesn't listen. Annette drinks coffee and keeps healing him, until her magic fizzles and she leans back against the seat with a tired sigh. 

Then they're shepherded into a makeshift healing tent. 

Poked and prodded with needles, concern, well wishes, and blood. 

Someone sticks a pill in his mouth. Gives him water. It's a hell of a pain medication. Maybe it's being above ground, maybe it's the medicine. But it knocks Felix back out. 

Then he wakes up again. To the sound of voices.

Laying down, he reaches for his knife and regrets the motion immediately. Pain sparks through his arm as bad as a dark magic spell.

Things aren't any easier when his eyes are wailed with tears and his hands are shaky. 

He tries to get up anyway. His body thoroughly disapproves of the choice.

As does Sylvain, who's sitting down in a chair fooling around with his phone. Felix lays back down and looks up at the wall of Mercedes's bakery in relief. They're in the meeting room but the tables have been moved so that more people can be healed and looked after at once. 

Felix hasn't seen this makeshift hospital in a while.

He gulps and that hurts too. 

" Where?" Felix asks.

"Don't talk," Ingrid urges. She's wrapping a bandage across her arm.

"Wait, where is what?" Asks Sylvain. " We're back at Mercedes's. It's okay."

'It's not okay,' Felix thinks 

" Dimitri?" Felix asks incorrectly. Craning his neck 

" He's alive," Sylvain says.

" Where? Him. Not the fake one." Felix asks.

" He's alright," Sylvain reassures. Moves forward slightly, putting his phone back into his pocket.  
" He wanted to see you but he thought you'd be upset."

" I am upset."

Felix tracks the movement with his eyes. He sees Sylvain wince. Sees him smile again to cover it up.

" You're hurt too." It hurts too much to really sound angry. Though Felix doesn't exactly like to hear the desperation in his voice either.

" Yeah, I guess we all got carried away." He laughs

Ingrid frowns. She stares at the ground. 

" It was a rough battle."

" You've been asleep for a while, Fe," Sylvain explains.

Ingrid starts back up again. "Mercedes gave you some blood but it could be a while before you can get back to full strength."

We could have all died, Felix thinks, panicked. He takes a breath, scanning the room as much as he can.

" Everyone… made it out? " All of our people." 

" Everyone," Sylvain confirms.

" Good," Felix says. Almost smiling. 

" I'm not going to yell at you while you're hurt," Ingrid says, glaring at him.

" Guess we should get hurt more often," Sylvain laughs quietly. 

Ingrid glares at him too. 

" They had Dimitri," Felix mutters. " I had to get him." The pain medication is clearly making him loopy. ' Though,' he doesn't say. ' He failed at that.

Something tenses in his gut. He forces himself to sigh. Too much emotion for a near-death experience. 

He looks around. At Annette healing Dedue's wounds and Ashe who has Dedue's arm in a vise grip. Or Mercedes. who's trying to stop Dimitri from getting up. Dimitri who is glassy-eyed and in a new shirt. He looks better with the blood cleaned off of him. Not in chains or attacking Felix.   
But he can see the pain on Dimitri's face. Already hidden away.

The air is still drenched in the smell of blood and sewage.

He meets Felix's gaze and smiles slightly. Felix panics and looks away. He has to. 

This isn't the conversation Felix wants to have in front of a bunch of people.   
At this point, he's just making excuses. That's what he did in the past and they're all alive so that's what he'll do now. 

There are also people that he doesn't recognize along with Claude and Hilda.

Felix's face is curved in a smile. Everyone is okay. Dimitri is alright. The only thing probably stopping Ingrid from talking about Glenn is her consideration for the pain Felix is in. That they're all in. As if even after the physical pain heals they won't be left with something worse. 

Still, he looks at the iv in his arm, holds on to a piece of fabric spread across him like a blanket. It hurts like hell. All of it. Even thinking about the past. But they aren't dead.

___

Things sort of amble along from there. Felix eats. He talks to Annette and Ashe. Thanks, Mercedes for whatever she did to him to keep him alive. Listens to Ingrid scold him. Solemnly talking about Glenn and wondering if what the orange-haired girl said had any actual truth to it.

All while the muffled sounds of other people recovering and the sickly sweet scent of pastries fills the air. 

__

" Hey," Sylvain says the next day. "Do you want… to maybe go over there?" Sylvain asks. "Talk to him?"

Before, Sylvain must have been talking to him to keep him awake. Alive. 

After regaining some blood and feeling Felix doesn't feel the desperation clawing at his stomach. Or at least he'd like to pretend that he doesn't. He couldn't even say what he wanted to Dimitri the first time he saw him in the tunnels and it turned out not to be him. 

" Thanks. No."

Sylvain squints at him. " Dude, after everything that happened."  
Sylvain says, as if Felix isn't aware of everything that happened. His recollection is foggy in a couple of places but it's there. He doesn't want to think about it. 

He stares at the door. Dimitri's can't be too far away.

His smiles and frantic apologies. A clouded eye from pain medication and healing no doubt. 

Felix's pain makes him weak. But it sort of steady's him. As much as Sylvain does.

" Fine," he whispers. It feels wrong and he has to bite his lip to keep his eyes from moistening. 

" Thanks," Felix repeats. Because Sylvain's been smiling his stupid smile and Felix doesn't know if he heard.

Sylvain's smile grows. He leans forward and brushes it up against Felix's forehead. " Geez, you sure you're okay. People act strangely when they have head injuries, you know."

" Asshole," Felix says, clicking his tongue and rolling his eyes. 

Sylvain laughs. " That's better."

" It's better than two days ago," Felix says with a shrug that would have also hurt more two days ago. 

Felix finally decides to get up, though the bed is comfortable. 

Felix isn't one to run from a fight. Talking to Dimitri is different in so many ways. Like a fight that he can't avoid. One that he doesn't want to avoid. 

He's there, in the building and not being tortured. It should be easier to have this conversation. h

Felix sighs again. Gets up and Sylvain moves to help him. 

This close, and still a little loopy from pain medication. Or at least Felix decides to blame it on that as he moves closer and puts one arm around Sylvain for a hug.

" That thing with the cult… with almost dying, let's never do that again," Sylvain says once Felix pulls away. He touches Sylvain's arm with his hand lightly. The dark magic must have worked its way out of his system at least. 

" I don't think we have a choice in the matter. But yeah…"

" So you feel better?"

"As good as anyone sleeping on an air mattress in a bakery feels."

Sylvain smiles. Felix knows that isn't all he means. He can't talk anymore about Glenn right now. Or the orange-haired woman. One crisis at a time is more than enough. That whole situation makes him feel an unquestionable amount of anger.

But it's just like he and Ingrid agreed. They can't believe anything she said without any confirmation. 

Felix gets out of the room. Into the hallway. Still looking around like there's a battle somewhere to be fought. 

" You should… go talk to Claude and Hilda. Thank them for me."

At the mere mention of their names, appear somehow. Must be a spy thing. Mercenaries. Whatever. All these new people here that Felix doesn't exactly know about them. They might have been getting paid to help but Felix doesn't think they could have done it without the Golden Deer. 

They wave and smile at Sylvain. Felix isn't sure what's going on with that situation. But he likes the idea of Sylvain dating people he knows rather than random people he doesn't. Makes it easier to track down people if they ever try to kidnap Sylvain. 

" Thank you," Felix says. He shifts away from Sylvain experimentally. It would be nice to not be so unsteady on his feet. Not in pain. At least the pain means he's alive. 

" Yeah, no problem," Claude says.

" It almost was though, " says Hilda. " Ugh. I wish we could send those cult freaks my dry cleaning bill."

Sylvain laughs. 

Felix tsks, glaring at the ground. Debating whether or not it's a good idea to collapse onto it.

" The only thing I'd like to send them is my blade." 

" Oh," Claude says. " You really are like that."

" I told you," Sylvain and Hilda both say.

Felix rolls his eyes.

He takes a step forward, deciding to get to where Dimitri is. Instead, he's being herded into their meeting room. As if he hasn't listened to Dimitri apologize and try to explain himself enough.

Felix considers reaching over the table and strangling Dimitri. Mostly inventing reasons to be angry at this point.  
____

" Claude, Hilda, and the rest of the deer are staying in town for a while," Sylvain explains.   
" They seem to have the idea that they can 'figure things out' if they stick around so that's good I guess."

Claude nods.

" Allt the news outlets and the police… They aren't happy with you guys. Rhea isn't happy with us either so I doubt we'll be getting any jobs from her for a while. "

Felix shrugs. Not too concerned with the feelings of some overly wealthy religious women and her governance. 

Felix looks over, he sees Dimitri and Dedue sitting there. Wearing bandages like everyone else but alive. Having a meeting like this, even one littered with information he doesn't want to hear. Without any real plan outside of waiting. Felix hates the waiting. The jittery feeling comes out in the way of him tapping his hand silently along his leg. 

It would be better to be out fighting someone. A thought that's always on his mind. Only now his body is exhausted and seems to think he should rest. 

It's almost surreal. Like it shouldn't even be happening. Though he wishes that he wouldn't have to hear Dimitri apologizing over and over again. 

Because that just makes him think of what the orange-haired girl said. 

It had all worked out. Despite what she said. Ashe sits next to Dedue, holding his hand in his own like it'll keep him from getting taken away again.  
Felix looks at them when he's sure they aren't looking.

Dedue glances over at Dimitri sympathetically before smiling back at Ashe. 

Dimitri fidgets around, no doubt he's still in pain.  
Whatever it is that happened in those dungeon cells had to hurt them both. Dedue's covered in bandages. The cuts and bruises of someone who had been tortured repeatedly and painfully. 

Felix wishes he'd been faster. That none of this had happened. 

' Because you're weak. Not even the Faldarious he likes the most.' That can't be true. It's stupid. Just nonsense to throw him off his game. How irritatingly easily it had worked. 

He frowns.   
Clutches the edge of the table. He bites his lip and glares at the ground. It's probably a good thing that he didn't really know what happened before. That he was so focused on the rescue rather than inflicting pain onto the cult. The anger comes with the sorrow. Hot and painful. 

It's always been easier to be angry than sad. Frustrated and cold rather than vulnerable and honest. 

He considers leaving but his body still aches and he's tired. He considers yelling at Dimitri. That feels right.   
Instead, he shakes his head and frowns. Waits for it to all be over. 

Until everyone gets up to leave.  
Felix stays. Dimitri doesn't go anywhere. 

Felix should get up and run. This isn't a fight. He's allowed to run from things that aren't fights.  
"Are you tired? You should rest." Felix says instead." Go to bed."

" I'm not tired." Dimitri fiddles around with a paper. 

That has to be a lie. Felix is tired. Dimitri has to be tired. The conversation that he wants to have can wait. 

" You need rest," Felix repeats. Tired and annoyed himself. 

' They drugged you and tortured you. Tortured Dedue in front of you. Dragged your parents and Glenn back into the forefront of your memory just to make things more painful. They could have killed you. I could have lost you.' He can't bring himself to say any of that.   
Especially without whining and he's done more than enough of that.

Dimitri hums. There's a ghost of a smile on his face. His eye is red. And from the state of the gash in the other, they did something to him.

" You sound like Dedue," Dimitri replies.

" He couldn't protect you either." 

" Felix," Dimitri replies disapprovingly. 

" It shouldn't have happened. To him or to you."  
Felix clutches the table. He knows what's stopping him from talking to Dimitri more than anything else. 

" I'm weak and I put everyone through so much shit…. I'm glad you're back anyway.'

" Felix… You're… you're glad?"

" Look, just forget about it. Try to rest because it's not going to get any easier."

He means to get up but slowly healing bones will slow you down.

Felix grimaces. Dimitri comes closer. Sits down slowly like he's also in pain. He puts his hand on top of Felix's. They're back in gloves. Hiding the scars. He must have accumulated even more. The anger burns hot in Felix's stomach. Not that there's anything he can do about it now. Anyone he can fight. Which only makes him angrier. 

Dimitri stares at him. " I failed to protect you, Felix. None of you should have had to go through that. I don't think you're weak. Dedue said the same thing and it's not right. He's strong and so are you. If anything, it's entirely my fault and I'm sorry that you had to-

" I wanted to." Felix interrupts. "So shut up. Stop apologizing. It's that damned cults fault."

Dimitri's eyebrow raises. He doesn't say anything. Waits for Felix who doesn't want to say anymore. 

" I mean… we'd have to fight them anyway… The cult. I can always fight more people." 

" Felix I- I appreciate that. Though I don't want to put you in harm's way. " Felix thinks he's going to say more. He finds that he wants him to. Looking up into Dimitri's eye then back down at the table. Waits. And there's only silence.

Felix glares at him. His anger catches up to the rest of his thoughts. " You put me in harm's way all the time. I put myself there myself this time. There was no ransom, no order. I had to-"

Felix breaths. He had to save Dimitri. But he failed. 

" It doesn't matter. If the cult knocked any of you over the head and dragged you away of course I'd fight to get you back. That's the easy part. I'd… of course I'd want to save you. You're all my…"

'Friends.'

" I'm a part of the Blue Lions, that's all." He says instead. 

Dimitri smiles. Laughs a little, ridiculous as he is. " I do not know many people who would call all of this the easy part."

" It is." Because Felix can't even say what he needs to. He's not a coward but this isn't a fight. He's never liked talking. Never minded that it was difficult because he hadn't cared. But the more he talks, the more he realizes he has to get the words out.

Dimitri stares at him. Waiting. They've been through so much, sure things can get worse but it can't be too bad to just speak. 

It could be easy. Well easier. Ashe and Dedue managed to find some peace. Romance. As did Annette and Mercedes. Sylvain seems happy with Claude and Hilda though Felix isn't sure if that's fake or not. 

It's just that, maybe Felix could do it too. 

" Dimitri," Felix says. Dimitri stares at him like it's not his name. With his mouth half-open. Sure Felix doesn't call him that half the time but still. 

" Yes, Felix?"

" It's different. I wanted to protect you."

Dimitri still must not get it. Felix isn't making it easy. He clenches and unclenches his jaw. 

" I thought you were going to die. I thought… I used to think it would be ok. If one of us died and I didn't tell you. Once you're dead, you're dead. You can't have any regrets and there's no way for the people alive to know how you feel."

Dimitri looks like he wants to argue. Or maybe Felix wants him to. Arguing, listening to Dimitri talk about his ghosts and regrets. That's easier than this. Painful but it's familiar territory

Felix forces himself to take a shaky breath. " I thought you might be dead. Killed. It would make sense for all the fighting that we do. I don't want that. I can't speak to a grave. You're bent on revenge and you're lust for blood so I thought I could forget that I…"

He takes another breath. 

Dimitri takes a breath. All that almost dying and now they're both sitting here about to pass out from lack of oxygen.

" Yes, Felix?" Dimitri inquires. Leaning closer, waiting patiently. 

" I love you, Dimitri."  
He almost wishes Dimitri would interrupt him. But he doesn't so Felix keeps talking. 

"The parts that make me angry… if I were to lose those… if I were to lose you then I. I would hate it."

Felix can barely breathe. Which is probably for the best. He can pass out and pretend this never happened. 

Dimitri stares at him. Before slowly taking Felix's hand in his own properly. Squeezing. " Thank you for saying that… But Felix are you sure?"

Felix wants to grumble ' well I'm starting not to be.' Or yell, ' of course I am.'

He frowns slightly and does neither. It's good to get the words out. That can be the end of it.   
" I am… I'll never bring it up again."

" No… no, Felix. My apologies. You misunderstand. I just- I mean are you sure that you want to be in love with me?"

Felix manages to roll his eyes." Yes. Why would I say it if I didn't mean it."

Not that honestly is either of their best and most abundant qualities. 

" I love you too, Felix." Dimitri smiles.

Felix wants to kiss him. The thought alone almost makes him panic. The good type of panic if there is such a thing. 

" If I would have known I would have told you but-"  
Dimitri frowns.   
Felix sort of wants to kiss him now too. Just to see if it would cheer him up. 

" What?"

" I thought you hated me."

" I don't… I wouldn't risk my life for someone that I hate, you idiot. I'm not going to die for you. I'd rather… actually spend time with you."

" I don't want you to die either. We can both try to be less reckless."

Felix grunts in approval. Though knowing them and the situations that are yet to come, it might not be easy.   
It could be TWSitD again. Maybe Rhea and her religious followers. Whatever is going on with the Black Eagles. Whatever gangs are left after Ingrid, Ashe, Annette, and Mercedes got through with them.

" You should rest."

" We should rest."   
Dimitri smiles and squeezes Felix's hand harder. Before bringing it to his lips. " Thank you for trusting me with your feelings."

" Ugh, if you get all sappy then I'll leave." 

" I'll just have to go with you then."  
Felix breaths out through his nose, but not in real annoyance.   
They both smile. It feels right. 

Felix leans in close. Dimitri lets him. Their lips brush up against each other. Dimitri's are chapped and they taste like salt. 

Felix thinks he should pull away. His heart is beating too fast like he's fighting someone again. He doesn't want to pull away

" I'm glad you're not dead," he says, looking into Dimitri's eye. At the way that he blushes and smiles. 

"I love you too, Felix."

_____  
" I sort of hoped it wouldn't take fighting a whole army of bastards to get him to confess. But good." Sylvain says from where he, Claude, and Hilda have camped out after eavesdropping. 

They leave quietly and start to relocate further down the hall. 

" I hope he knows he could have bought him flowers. Those two are ridiculous," Hilda laughs. 

" That's like… standard Faerghus culture… finding a boyfriend in a fight."   
Claude laughs but really Sylvain thinks it could be that the best jokes are rooted in truth.

' I found the both of you,' Sylvain almost says. It sounds too permanent. Faerghus culture really is all about dying for each other and declaring your undying love but can't it be a little more casual?

" I guess it's pretty hard for people like us to find love with normal people." Sylvain muses instead. 

" Oh, are you saying that we're not normal?"

" No, you're… awesome. Oh."

" Maybe you could try flowers."  
Claude winks. Leans up against the wall. Tilting his head back slightly. His green eyes sparkle in the bakeries' fluorescent lights. 

He has some bruises under his coat. Sylvain worries. Hilda's changed into a t-shirt which she still looks good in but it's not the dress and he can't tell if she's hurt or not. 

He stares. Notices. Not because he just wants to take off their clothes to see from a sexual standpoint. Mostly. It's mostly out of concern. 

" Flowers are probably better than knife wounds," Sylvain says after a while. Stretching and leaning back on the other side.

" I would say so," Hilda says

" Well, then you clearly aren't from Faerghus. Not exactly the way I wanted you to see it."

" Oh, don't worry… People try to kill us in Leicester too." Claude replies

Sylvain laughs. But he has to admit it does worry him. " I'd be nice to find at least one person around here that I-" like romantically' " Don't have to worry about."

Claude hums. " You don't have to worry about us."

" Maybe I will anyway." Sylvain stares at him and smiles.

Claude smiles back.

" I think worrying is fine… as long as it doesn't give you wrinkles or something," Hilda replies laughing.

"Let me get you guys some tea," Sylvain says and he starts walking again before he says something stupid.   
He's not injured enough to blame anything stupid on blood loss. Sure he hasn't had sex in like four days but he can't blame saying something stupid either. 

His phone is littered with texts and missed calls from people he used to hang around with. With antagonistic news articles and shit, he'll have to deal with it at some point. Just not right now.   
.

It's been even longer since there was anyone he actually liked romantically. He doesn't know if it's ok but walking into Mercedes's kitchen isn't a lifelong commitment. 

Claude and Hilda follow. Looking around. And well… the Golden Deer have done so much for the Blue Lions. Having so many people shoved into the bakery is strange, to say the least. But it's nice. It's what's safest right now. It's good to have more people to back them up.

Sylvain can't ignore the fact that Claude's carefully observing everything. Sylvain smiles. He likes it. That the gears always seem to be turning in Claude's brain. It's that same attention to detail and cunning that allowed them to be ok. 

Sylvain is just being paranoid. Waiting for some other bad thing to happen. Because it isn't like their lives care how many bad things happen in the same of their lives. 

If TWSitD attacked their base in retaliation or Claude and Hilda got attacked while they were here it wouldn't be surprising. 

Nothing happens though. Not even as they go to the kitchen and Sylvain manages to make a pot of tea. 

The same kitchen that Lysithea and Ingrid wall out of with trays full of cookies. Right now the worst thing that's happening is the amount of money they'll have to pay for groceries. 

Claude smiles, Hilda smiles, Sylvain smiles. They drink their tea. He drinks his coffee. 

For now, everything is alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thanks for reading. BBs are a lot of fun and somewhat of an excuse for me to write the weird self indulgent alternative universe stuff I've wanted to write for a while now.
> 
> If you want to see me obssesing over fe characters on Social Media I'm @Tavitay on twitter

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I'll be updating on the weekend.  
> Fic witten by someone who knows next to nothing about heists or the mafia but I tried.  
> This is set in the same universe as Golden Deer Agents which takes place before Twists and Turns https://archiveofourown.org/works/24654772 D  
> @Tavitay on twitter


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